BRIN partners with LPDP to launch "Doctor by Research" programme
Jakarta – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is strengthening the research ecosystem by providing high-quality human resources through the National Research and Innovation Talent Scholarship programme via the Doctor by Research (DbR) route for 2026.
The programme is implemented with support from the Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP) and is designed to strengthen Indonesia’s human resource capacity in research and innovation through research-based doctoral education integrated with national development priorities.
Ajeng Arum Sari, Director of Talent Management at BRIN, explained during a press briefing in Jakarta on Sunday that the agency is targeting 250 scholarships for new students, prioritised for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
“The DbR programme is research and collaboration-based. The key lies in synergy between BRIN researchers as co-supervisors and university lecturers as supervisors. Students no longer work independently with campus supervisors, but are integrated into research collaboration,” she said.
Ajeng emphasised that the programme uses a research-based curriculum without regular classroom teaching, allowing students to participate directly in various national strategic projects.
She highlighted the urgency of improving the quality of science and technology human resources, noting that the government targets 5,000 science and technology professionals per million inhabitants by 2045, with 30 per cent holding doctoral qualifications.
“The DbR programme started in 2022, so we currently have students, both graduates and those still enrolled, totalling 1,620,” she said.
She explained that programme participants receive research funding support to focus on their research. This funding comes from various research programmes managed by BRIN as well as other national research funding schemes.
“There is therefore a guarantee from the co-promoter or co-supervisor from BRIN. They are responsible for providing research funding. This can come from BRIN research programme funds, or from Research and Innovation for Indonesia’s Advancement (RIIM) or other sources,” she said.
Dwi Larso, Director of Scholarships at LPDP, reinforced the initiative from the perspective of funding philosophy and bureaucratic efficiency. He affirmed that since 2021, LPDP has abandoned sectoral working methods and chosen to work closely with BRIN to avoid programme duplication.
The co-funding approach is a smart solution to allow enduring education funds to reach more talent without reducing the quality of support provided.
“We are convinced that Indonesia will never advance without a strong industry, and industry will not be strong without in-depth research. Therefore, LPDP fully supports this DBR programme,” Dwi Larso said.
BRIN also guarantees the sustainability of graduates’ careers through a two-year post-doctoral programme to ensure the research results of these new doctors can continue to be developed until reaching the stage of commercialisation or public policy implementation.