Research Creates Future Opportunities

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry research development director general Muhammad Dimyati (right) and Indonesia Scientists Association chairman and Eijkman Institute director Sangkot Marzuki (left) present their views during a discussion on a draft law on national science and technology systems at Kompas’ office in Jakarta on Friday. The discussion aimed to improve science and the technology ecosystem in Indonesia.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The success of advanced nations in developing industry is supported by strong research and innovation. Indonesia is expected to be the equal of these countries by its centenary in 2045. However, the national system of science and technology, which serves as the foundation of research and innovation, remains poor.

“The establishment of a culture of science is absolutely necessary for the nation’s future. However, long-term commitment is needed,” Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) chair Sangkot Marzuki said in a discussion on the bill on the national system of science and technology (RUU Sisnas Iptek) held by Kompas and AIPI in Jakarta on Friday (6/4/2018).

A culture of science will encourage research and innovation. Of this research and innovation, advanced countries can maintain the sustainability of their industries. On the other hand, a nation’s research and innovation often serve as the benchmarks of the advancements of a nation’s civilization, culture and economy.

Now, the government through the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry has proposed an amendment of Law No. 18/2002 on the national system of research, development and application of national science and technology through RUU Sisnas Iptek. This will hopefully encourage the development of research and innovation in Indonesia.

“The bill was proposed last August and it will hopefully be complete in August this year,” Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry Director General of Research and Development Strengthening Muhammad Dimyati said. If the bill is not approved in August, it is feared the delay will be too long because of the general elections next year.

Sangkot said that a balance of science and technology as a foundation of innovation and knowledge-building is important in the development of a national system of science and technology. This means that basic science research is as important as technological development.

Complex

Nevertheless, Indonesia’s dream of becoming an advanced nation will be difficult to achieve. The prevailing research and innovation system leaves much to be desired.

A fundamental problem in Indonesia’s national system of science and technology is the insignificant research budget of only 0.25 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), of which only between 30 and 40 percent is used for research. Ideally, the budget should be 2 percent of GDP.

“Most of the budget is for operations and employees’ salaries,” Indonesia Science Fund executive director Teguh Rahardjo said.

Indonesia also lacks human resources. Currently, Indonesia has 1,071 researchers for every 1 million people. This figure already includes university lecturers and pure researchers working in research agencies.

By 2045, it is hoped Indonesia will have 6,000 researchers per 1 million people, equal to South Korea’s researcher-to-population ratio right now. This means that, in the next 25 years, Indonesia must produce 1.3 million new researchers. The problem is that, “Currently, we only have three world-class universities and 25 universities with a good research culture,” Dimyati said.

A further problem in Indonesia’s national system of science and technology is overlapping and a lack of coordination between universities and research agencies. These institutional and governance problems result in ineffective use of research funding. On the other hand, research productivity and relevance are also lacking. Dimyati said that, of the 18,000 research projects funded by the government, only between 600 and 700 are ready for downstreaming.

Funding

Another issue in the national system of science and technology that many researchers complain about is the single-year research funding. As a result, researchers are forced to produce accountability reports on the use and results of research funding disbursement every year, in accordance with the government’s financial budgeting system.

Such a single-year funding mechanism is incompatible with basic research projects that often go on for a long period. This type of research is also highly uncertain and results can be unwarranted, even though wrong results in research can lead to new knowledge.

“Research should not always lead to products, especially basic research,” Teguh said. However, such research will still be beneficial to the development of science in the future. One day, the research may lead to real products.

Researchers hope that research funding can be done through a multiyear mechanism. This wish has been responded to by the government through the issuance of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 16/2018 on goods and service procurement by the government.

Nevertheless, AIPI deputy chair Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro said that Indonesia considers research funding as goods procurement, leading to demands on researchers for results. Therefore, even if the funding is multiyear, the risk of criminal violations persists.

Ideally, basic research funding should be done through a grant mechanism. In order to maintain accountability in fund use, assessment of research achievements should be conducted by peers with knowledge of the research subject. If violations are found, the researchers will be sanctioned and included on a black list, making it impossible for them to secure funding for their future research. “With a block grant, researchers have flexibility in innovating and finding new things,” Satryo said.

However, in the future, it is hoped Indonesian research funding can be done through endowment. Investment from the endowment could used to fund research. This concept, used in many advanced nations, maintains research sustainability.

(MZW/ADH/NIK/ISW/YUN)