Wardiman wants more useful research projects
Wardiman wants more useful research projects
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman
Djojonegoro said most research projects conducted by universities
in Indonesia have been largely inapplicable and are irrelevant to
the country's development problems.
Universities should concentrate more on applied sciences
because Indonesia needs fast and pragmatic solutions to its
various problems, Wardiman said on Thursday.
"If research institutions in Indonesia choose the applied
scientific approach over basic sciences, this should not be
construed as a setback," he said after inaugurating the Graduate
Studies Research Council (MPPT) at his office.
Wardiman said Indonesia cannot afford to carry out research in
basic sciences because funding for these types of research were
too large, whereas applied science "can be used according to our
needs."
"Don't look down upon applied science, because much research
in this field requires a high level of knowledge, sophisticated
equipment and high-quality people," he said, citing agricultural
biotechnology as an example of an applied science.
The new council recommends the Ministry of Education on
research policies best carried out at the graduate and post-
graduate levels, based on the "link and match" approach.
Wardiman deplored the continuing low level of research
activity at most universities in Indonesia which he blamed on the
lack of "research culture" as well as funding and equipment.
As of last year, Indonesian post-graduate students only
comprised 0.5 percent of the total number of graduate students.
This is very low compared to Thailand (2.4 percent), Brazil
(2.7), China (3.2), Mexico (3.3) and Korea (5.7). Currently
10,000 students in Indonesia are completing their master's
degrees and 1,000 others their doctoral work.
The number of Indonesian scientists who contribute to
international publications is also low in both quality and
quantity, amounting to only a third of the number from Thailand
and Kenya, one fourth of Nigerians, a 10th of Koreans and one
50th of the total in China.
MPPT, chaired by Dr. Bambang Soehendro, comprises seven
permanent commissions for science, engineering, agriculture,
health, social sciences, humanitarian sciences and education.
Vice-chairperson Dr. Jajah Koswara said the council has
obtained a $60 million loan from the World Bank's University
Research for Graduate Education (URGE) project.
A total of $97 million will be disseminated in the next five
years, Jajah said. "MPPT will likely seek its own funds in the
future... we will work and provide input to both the government
and the private sector, who are both involved with us through the
link and match system." (pwn)