Unram Rector: Research Should Not Stop at Publication
Mataram (ANTARA) – Universitas Mataram (Unram) Rector Professor Sukardi said research should not stop at publication, but should be developed into innovations that benefit the public.
Sukardi made the remarks in a speech read by Unram Deputy Rector for Cooperation, Dr Sitti Latifah, at a public lecture delivered by Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) Head Professor Taruna Ikrar on the campus on Thursday.
He expressed appreciation for BPOM’s decision to make Unram one of the venues for a series of its activities in West Nusa Tenggara.
The rector said the presence of the BPOM head and his team was both an honour and a valuable opportunity for the academic community to engage directly with the authority.
“For universities, this event is important because it offers the perspective that education and research need to be better connected with the needs of society, businesses, industry and government,” he said.
Students and researchers, he added, were expected not only to produce academically sound ideas and research, but also to understand how their findings could bring tangible benefits to the public.
The rector welcomed the briefing for students on regulations covering natural medicines, quasi-medicines, health supplements and cosmetics. He said this knowledge would enrich classroom and laboratory learning with practical insight into the standards and regulations students would encounter in research, professional practice and entrepreneurship.
He hoped direct engagement with BPOM would help lecturers and researchers understand how research progresses after leaving the laboratory.
“Research should not end with publications, research reports or prototypes, but should, wherever possible, be developed into innovations that deliver tangible benefits,” he said.
The rector said the BRIDGE programme, which is intended to connect innovation with industry partners and support the downstream development of research, was well suited to this goal.
He also hoped the event would encourage students to prepare not only for employment, but also to become researchers, innovators and young entrepreneurs. West Nusa Tenggara’s natural resources and local potential could inspire innovations and value-added products, he said.
Unram hopes the meeting will open the way to more sustained cooperation with BPOM, particularly in building the capacity of students and researchers, improving regulatory literacy, supporting research, developing innovation and commercialising research outcomes.
“We are ready to partner with the government and BPOM to build an innovation ecosystem in West Nusa Tenggara. Universities have researchers, students, laboratories and a range of research findings, while the government and regulators bring policy perspectives and an understanding of society’s needs,” he said.
He added that the success of the event should be measured not only by whether it took place, but also by the follow-up it generated.
“We hope BPOM’s presence at Universitas Mataram will not remain a one-off event, but will mark the beginning of closer collaboration. We want students to gain broader insights, researchers to have a clearer path towards downstream development, and more of Unram’s innovations to benefit the public,” the rector said.