BRIN Chief Urges Staff to Improve Research Proposal Quality

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Arif Satria, has requested all researchers within the state research institution to improve the quality of their research proposals.

“The government has provided a significant increase in the research budget. However, to date, the number of research proposals submitted remains far below the expected target,” he stated in Jakarta on Saturday.

The Head of BRIN assessed that BRIN’s current challenge is no longer merely a lack of funding, but rather the availability of research ideas that are strong, measurable, and impactful.

Currently, he revealed, the research budget has actually increased to Rp1.9 trillion. Following an evaluation process, the value of proposals deemed worthy of funding is only around Rp150 billion, which is far from the expected absorption target of over Rp1 trillion.

In his view, great works are born when work is no longer merely an administrative obligation. Researchers who are truly integrated into their fields are no longer obsessed with attendance, administrative targets, or performance allowances.

According to Arif, almost all Nobel laureates share a similar pattern, namely focusing on a single field for decades.

He emphasised that the role of research institutions is not just to identify problems, but also to offer solutions based on scientific evidence. According to him, the government requires input that is rapid, accurate, and applicable in the policymaking process.

“When the government faces various challenges, what is needed are solutions. That is where BRIN’s role as a development think tank becomes very important,” he said.

“Good research does not only produce publications, but is also capable of providing an impact on policy, society, and the development of science itself,” said Arif Satria.