VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (VOI News) - The Indonesian and British governments have agreed to extend partnerships in the field of  science and technology until 2025 in a bid to support collaboration of researchers to improve the welfare of  people in both countries. The continuation of the  UK-Indonesia’s partnership was marked by the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) held by Minister of Research and Technology / Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency,  Bambang Brodjonegoro and British Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, Amanda Solloway MP.  In a webinar meeting held on  Wednesday (05/08), Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro stated that the signing of the MOU can be a momentum to become more productive in working and providing solutions for global problems.

"This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be a legal umbrella for the implementation of research and innovation collaboration conducted by research institutions and universities.  Indonesia hopes that this cooperation can be used as a  momentum to be more productive in working and providing solutions for international problems.  We are so happy  to hear that the cooperation between the two countries has produced more than 2,200 international publications during the 2015-2019 period. In the future, Indonesia targets that the number of publications will increase and there will be joint innovations that  the two countries can produce," said Bambang Brodjonegoro.

Moreover, Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro also stated that Indonesia is committed to developing domestic innovation capabilities and increasing research and development in supporting economic growth. The Newton Fund partnership has succeeded in increasing research and innovation collaboration in recent years that has also provided benefit for Indonesia and the UK. The Newton Fund collaboration model will be used as an example in the application of other international science partnerships. The extension of partnerships in science and innovation in the long term will improve Indonesia's capabilities to develop a knowledge-based economy and be able to compete in the global market.  On the same occasion, British Ambassador to Indonesia, Owen Jenkins stated that there are still many things that can be done to advance the collaboration based on the MoU for research and innovation. The next step is to encourage the commercialization of the research that has been carried out and how to make the research products  in order to give benefit to people. (VOI/NK-Trans by AF)