Ministry of Education, Science and Technology: Indonesian Diaspora as Strategic Agents to Strengthen Indonesia's Academic Reputation Globally

Wed, 25 Feb 2026, 16:39 WIB | By Putri Rosmalia | Source: MEDIA_INDONESIA | Education

Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Mendiktisaintek), Brian Yuliarto, held a strategic dialogue with 84 members of the Indonesian diaspora in Australia, who are part of the Indonesian Academics Research Network Australia (IARNA), on Wednesday (February 25th). This event served as an important forum to strengthen research collaboration, innovation, and human resource development between Indonesia and Australia.

Brian stated that the government is currently targeting a national economic growth of 8% as an effort to escape the middle-income trap. To achieve this, higher education and research must have a real impact on industry and society. To achieve this target, cross-sectoral collaboration is needed, including the strategic role of the diaspora in accelerating the transformation of higher education, science, and technology.

“The Indonesian diaspora abroad are strategic agents who can accelerate technology transfer, open access to collaboration with leading universities and industries, and strengthen Indonesia’s academic reputation at the global level,” said Brian.

During the dialogue, various strategic focuses were discussed, including the downstreaming of strategic minerals with the Australian industry, strengthening food security based on research, developing a cosmetics industry based on biodiversity, managing waste through technological and socio-cultural approaches, and strengthening industry-campus collaboration, including the role of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).

The discussion also highlighted potential concrete cooperation opportunities between Indonesia and Australia, such as increasing rice productivity through mechanisms, developing critical minerals including nickel and lithium for the electric vehicle supply chain, research and health education, biomedicine, maritime collaboration, and drone technology.

In line with these opportunities, Brian affirmed that the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) is currently focused on strengthening research and innovation that is directly connected to the needs of industry and national development. Strengthening applied research continues to be carried out without neglecting fundamental research as the foundation for long-term innovation.

At the same event, the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia, Siswo Pramono, stated that the increase in bilateral trade after the IA-CEPA is a strategic momentum to expand higher education and research collaboration in line with the needs of both countries’ industries. Ambassador Siswo added that strengthening the Indonesia Incorporated synergy, including the involvement of the academic diaspora, is key to maximizing bilateral cooperation opportunities.

As part of the implementation of Impactful Dikti, Kemdiktisaintek is preparing a scheme to involve the diaspora as visiting professors, research coaches, or research collaborators at Indonesian universities to guide young lecturers and researchers, produce joint publications, and encourage breakthroughs in applied research. Mendiktisaintek also expressed its hope that the Indonesian diaspora can play a more active role as strategic partners in building and strengthening the national research and innovation ecosystem.

During the dialogue, the diaspora also provided various strategic inputs regarding the balance between basic research, applied research, and product development, as well as the importance of a systematic follow-up mechanism for international collaboration forums. Mendiktisaintek stated that the results of this discussion will be followed up concretely and will be one of the references in strengthening higher education, science, and technology policies in the future.

Kemdiktisaintek is committed to continuing to strengthen the downstreaming of research, expand international partnerships, and ensure that every higher education and science development program makes a real contribution to national economic growth and improving the welfare of the community. (H-3)

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