Law Minister Bridges Campus Research into New "Money Machine" for the Nation

Bandung (ANTARA) - Law and Human Rights Minister Supratman Andi Agtas has emphasised that the state is now acting as a mediator to break down the major barriers that have long obstructed communication between academic researchers and the national industry sector. This strategic step is aimed at ensuring that thousands of research outcomes from students and lecturers no longer end up as mere stacks of publications on library shelves, but instead transform into economic assets through strong intellectual property protection. “The goal is to bridge the interests of researchers with industry and the state. We want to ensure that research results do not just stop at publication. The state must be present so that this research becomes a useful asset through optimal intellectual property protection,” Supratman stated at the Sabuga ITB Complex in Bandung on Tuesday. He promised a red-carpet treatment in the form of eased registration and recording of patent rights for young innovators. A massive synergy is also being forged with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and local governments to guide these fresh findings until they gain commercial value in the market. “We are providing the best facilities for registration or recording of intellectual property,” Supratman added. This effort is seen as a concrete step by the government in building a new knowledge-based economic ecosystem, where campus innovations become the backbone of national industry competitiveness on the global stage. In line with this vision, academic Rocky Gerung, who was present at the event, highlighted the immense potential of Indonesia’s biodiversity located on the equator line. According to him, the abundant natural wealth must be quickly converted into intellectual property to gain business bargaining value. Rocky even proposed repositioning the allocation of permanent education funds like LPDP to more significantly target major universities in spurring patent production. “ITB, Unpad, UI. Mr Minister is stimulating campuses to become the main agents in starting research so that it can turn into patents, patents into business,” said Rocky.