Ministry of Youth and Sports Partners with NYU to Build World-Class Indonesian Sports Ecosystem
JAKARTA – The Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) has taken a strategic step to strengthen national sports development through international cooperation. The ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport at New York University (NYU), one of the world’s leading education and research institutions in the field of sport.
The MoU was signed on Tuesday (21/7/2026) local time by Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Erick Thohir and the Dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies, Angie Kamath. The agreement marks an important milestone in building collaboration in sports diplomacy, sports management education, youth development, and sports research and innovation.
Through the partnership, Kemenpora is also opening opportunities for Indonesia’s high-achieving athletes to pursue their education at the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport, New York University.
“When President Prabowo appointed me as Minister of Youth and Sports, one of my main priorities was to create an environment that allows Indonesia’s sports ecosystem to flourish,” Menpora Erick said in a statement on Wednesday (22/7/2026).
According to him, strengthening the ecosystem is an important foundation for improving sporting achievement while making the sports sector one of the drivers of national economic growth.
The minister stressed that sports development today can no longer be oriented solely towards competitive achievement. Sport, he said, has evolved into an industry capable of creating jobs, attracting investment, driving economic growth, and improving public health.
For this reason, Kemenpora continues to encourage the creation of a sports ecosystem that is more open to investment and able to accelerate the growth of the national sports industry, including the sport tourism sector.
“Our aim is clear: to create a sports ecosystem that is more open and investment-friendly, to drive the growth of the sports and sport tourism industries, and to change the way Indonesian society views sport. Sport is no longer seen as a source of expenditure, but as an engine of economic growth, as has been proven in the United States,” he said.
Beyond collaboration in research and sports development, Kemenpora is also opening the door to broader cooperation with New York University through the development of higher education in Indonesia.
The minister hopes NYU can explore establishing professional study programmes in Indonesia, particularly in sports business, sports management, and other disciplines needed as the national sports industry grows.
According to Menpora Erick, Indonesia needs an increasing number of professionals in the field of sports business and management. He therefore believes New York University has a strategic role in preparing a new generation of Indonesian sports leaders.
“Indonesia has a growing need for professionals in sports business and management. I believe New York University can play an important role in preparing a new generation of Indonesian sports leaders,” he said.
Menpora affirmed that Kemenpora is ready to facilitate the entire process should NYU be interested in developing such academic programmes in Indonesia. The government, he said, is also prepared to connect the university with various strategic partners in the country.
Through this cooperation, the minister hopes that knowledge transfer, human resource development, and research and innovation collaboration can accelerate the transformation of Indonesia’s sports ecosystem into a modern, globally competitive sports industry capable of making a real contribution to national economic growth.