Research Proposals from Indonesian Universities More Than Double, Says Ministry

The Director General of Research and Development at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Fauzan Adziman, has revealed that interest in conducting research among Indonesian universities is increasing. “In 2026, the number of research proposals submitted has reached approximately 127,000, surging more than twofold compared to 2025, which saw around 60,000 proposals,” Fauzan said on the sidelines of the opening of the Partnership for Australia-Indonesia Research Sulawesi Annual Meeting 2026 at the Hasanuddin University Hotel in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday. He stated that the increase demonstrates a strengthening research culture within the higher education environment. In addition to the rising number of proposals, the number of campuses actively conducting research has also grown significantly. For illustration, in 2025 there were around 1,500 higher education institutions actively conducting research. That number has now reached 2,050 campuses, an increase of approximately 500 institutions within a one-year period. “The growing interest has made the competition for research funding increasingly tight. If in the previous year about one in three proposals received funding, now only about one in eight proposals successfully obtains a research grant,” he said. To strengthen the research ecosystem, the government is also increasing the research budget. Fauzan mentioned that the President has added a research fund allocation of Rp4 trillion, outside the existing research grant budget which has been around Rp8 trillion per year. The additional budget will be used to improve the quality of research in higher education through grant schemes and strengthening the research ecosystem in cooperation with the National Research and Innovation Agency. Fauzan stressed that research results must provide tangible benefits to society and serve as a basis for government policy formulation. He cited several research outcomes that have been utilised in regional development planning, including in South Sulawesi, particularly in the maritime and fisheries sectors. He also encouraged collaboration between major universities and regional campuses so that research is more aligned with local needs. According to him, campuses located at the research sites have a better understanding of regional characteristics and therefore need to be involved in every strategic research project.