Minister of National Development Planning encourages integration of ITS STP to strengthen research innovation

The 10-hectare STP area is designed as a bridge between research outcomes and industrial needs. Surabaya (ANTARA) - Minister of National Development Planning (PPN)/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Rachmat Pambudy is encouraging the integration of the Science Techno Park (STP) at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and the downstreaming of national technology-based research in Surabaya. “It is time for us to build a knowledge- and technology-based economy in the future, and the operationalisation of this STP can be interpreted as an investment in the development of new startups in state universities,” stated Rachmat Pambudy during the soft launching of the New Science Techno Park ITS 2027 at the Creative Center A ITS building, Surabaya, on Monday. He assessed that the integration of STP within the ITS environment serves as an important initial capital in promoting research downstreaming so that university research results do not stop at publication but continue to the commercialisation stage. The government is also promoting the establishment of the National Technology Transfer Office (NTTO) or National Technology Transfer Agency to oversee the downstreaming and commercialisation of innovations in a more directed manner. ITS STP is one of the five top-tier national Science Techno Parks in the Indonesian Science and Technology Convention (KSTI), alongside Universitas Indonesia (UI), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), and Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB). ITS Rector Prof Bambang Pramujati stated that the 10-hectare STP area is designed as a bridge between research outcomes and industrial needs. “Including substantially strengthening and building STP capacity, both in infrastructure and human resource development itself,” said Bambang. ITS STP manages four main clusters, namely maritime, automotive, information and communication technology (ICT) or robotics, and creative industries, to support the development of appropriate technology innovations. The development of ITS STP is also supported by the Higher Education for Technology and Innovation (HETI) programme funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) since 2022 with an allocation of around Rp650 billion. In addition, ITS plans to build an Educational Hospital (RSP) named RS dr Angka Nitisastro as well as a semiconductor centre to strengthen technology integration in the health and industrial sectors. The integration of ITS STP also contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly quality education as well as industry, innovation, and infrastructure.