Partnership researches encouraged

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Research and Technology is determined to continue to promote partnership researches between government institutions and industries in a response to the rapid advancement of science and technology.

The program, called the Partnership Excellence Research (RUK) 2002, is aimed at developing mutual relations between state research agencies and manufacturers, said Finarya Legoh, a deputy minister of research and technology.

She added that the project is also intended to explore applicable and marketable technology.

Finarya said the partnership researches will be jointly funded by the government and relevant industries.

Previous similar projects, costing around Rp 35 billion, were fully financed by the government.

Finarya said her office and the Agency for the Study and Application of Technology (BPPT) have recommended at least 72 proposals from relevant parties to take part in the RUK program.

The proposals, covering various fields of studies such as those on manufacturing, agriculture, environment, health, society and culture, would be selected for approval by experts and academics and relevant parties, she added.

She said BPPT would continue to convince private companies of the advantages of the research program. --JP