VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOI, Jakarta - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has urged state universities (PTN) in Indonesia to open archeology study programs.

"There are currently only six PTNs with archeology study programs. We want to encourage them to help open archeology departments in other campuses, especially PTN-BH (Legal Entities)," BRIN head Laksana Tri Handoko said at an event held to mark the 20th anniversary of the discovery of Homo floresiensis fossils, which was followed online from Jakarta on Wednesday.

BRIN hopes that PTNs will strive to open archeology study programs, which are often considered to be devoid of interest, he added.

BRIN has prepared a forum for archeology study program graduates by opening a number of new research sites such as the Lematang River Basin Site (DAS) in Bumiayu, Central Java, and the Bongal Site in Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra, he informed.

"So they don't need to be confused, just follow along. The cost is high to carry out excavations, we are already there, they just have to join in," he said.

Handoko added that his agency has devised a special mechanism to allow archeologists and campuses to work and carry out research with the support of equipment and a sustainable budget.

Considering the several efforts that BRIN will make to encourage PTNs to open archeology study programs, he hoped that archeology study programs can become favorites in the future.

He explained that archeology study program graduates would later be involved in different excavation projects, along with around 150 more senior archeologists.

"The plan is for two teams. Later, if it gets bigger, the students have learned, then the core team can be split again. Create a new area in Makassar, for example, or elsewhere," he said.

This effort is important to support Indonesian archeologists as well as pass down the legacy of previous generations of archeologists, he added.

"Without you (archeologists), we can't do anything. We can't let archeologists run out after you retire. That's why we are encouraging the opening of archeology study programs, if necessary, in all PTN-BH," said Handoko.

The six PTNs that are currently running archeology study programs are Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Udayana University in Bali, Hasanuddin University (Unhas) in Makassar, University of Indonesia (UI) in Depok, Haluoleo University (UHO) in Kendari, and Jambi University in Jambi. (ANTARA News)