Ministry of Law and Human Rights and PII strengthen the intellectual property ecosystem for engineers

The Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkum), together with the Indonesian Engineers Association (PII), has strengthened the intellectual property (IP) ecosystem for engineers in Indonesia through the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) in Jakarta on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. Director General of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Hermansyah Siregar, said the cooperation with PII would further strengthen IP services, particularly in facilitating and expediting the registration process. “The protection of IP is a strategic step in safeguarding the economic value of every innovation that is produced,” Hermansyah said, as quoted in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Friday. He hopes all members of PII, if they own IP, will not hesitate to register and protect their innovative works. Meanwhile, Executive Director of PII Ilham Akbar Habibie emphasised that the future of engineering is determined not only by technological advances but also by wisdom in managing them. According to him, engineers’ roles are becoming increasingly complex amid rapid digital developments, where engineers must be able to explain complex ideas clearly to the public and to the government, work across disciplines and cultures, adapt to change, and uphold professional ethics, including in the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies. The signing of the PKS was conducted as part of World Engineering Day (WED) 2026, as a form of support for strengthening the national innovation ecosystem through the protection and utilisation of IP in the field of engineering. The PKS serves as the basis for optimising the IP ecosystem, including encouraging increases in IP applications in engineering, increasing IP literacy, and strengthening the commercialisation of innovative outputs. Through the cooperation, both parties commit to building sustainable synergy to support the competitiveness of national innovation. At the occasion, the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) also opened an IP services booth that runs through to the final day of WED 2026 on 5 March 2026. Members of the public and participants can utilise these services to obtain information and direct consultations regarding IP registration and protection procedures. The WED 2026 opening was also attended by Maki Katsuno Hayashikawa, Director of the UNESCO Office in Jakarta, Seng Chuan Tan, President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), and Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. The presence of these stakeholders demonstrates strong support for strengthening the role of engineering in sustainable development and the national innovation ecosystem.