RI-Australia Education Cooperation for Sustainable Development
Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Mendiktisaintek) Brian Yuliarto received a courtesy visit from an Australian delegation to strengthen strategic partnerships in research and higher education in support of sustainable development.
In a statement in Jakarta on Friday, the Mendiktisaintek conveyed that the cooperation between the two countries has contributed significantly to developing Indonesian talent through various educational programmes and scholarships.
“Fundamentally, we want to build closer partnerships with Australian universities to produce world-class education and research, while strengthening Indonesia’s innovation capacity and competitiveness,” he said.
Minister Brian expressed hope that integrated cooperation between higher education, research, and innovation involving various stakeholders could deliver more tangible impacts for society in the future.
He outlined several national development priorities requiring support from higher education, science, and technology, particularly energy security, food security, sustainable natural resource management, and industrial downstreaming.
“In the energy sector, Indonesia is pushing to strengthen national energy independence through the development of more efficient, safe, and sustainable energy technologies, as well as increasing the utilisation of research and innovation results to support the energy transition,” he stated.
He also affirmed his commitment to educational cooperation through the Australia Awards Scholarships programme, which annually provides more than 760 scholarships for Indonesian students, including 10 postgraduate scholarships for principals and teachers of Sekolah Garuda.
Both parties also discussed the development of a new design for the Australia Awards post-2027, aimed at expanding scholarship formats, strengthening institutional partnerships, and aligning the programme with the strategic priorities of both countries.
Furthermore, the two sides discussed opportunities for involving prominent Australian scientists, including Nobel laureates, in various scientific forums and international conferences in Indonesia as part of efforts to strengthen academic networks and research collaboration between the two nations.
The visit of Australia’s Chief Scientist to Indonesia is also part of efforts to strengthen science diplomacy between the two countries through policy dialogue, knowledge exchange, and exploration of strategic research collaborations that support sustainable development and enhance national resilience.