Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) and Stanford University's Doerr School of Sustainability agreed to cooperate in developing a center for research on sustainability in Nusantara, Indonesia's future capital city.

"We will conduct research on various matters, including water management, sustainable urban development, and robotics," OIKN's Head, Bambang Susantono, noted in a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday.

The cooperation agreement was reached through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Stanford University, the United States.

OIKN's Susantono; Dean of Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Arun Majumdar; and Anindya Bakrie, an Indonesian alumnus of the university and President Director of PT Bakrie & Brothers, carried out the signing of the MoU.

According to Susantono, the signing of the MoU reflected the commitment of Stanford University and its alumni to developing a world-class research center in Indonesia's future capital city.

He noted that both parties are planning to build the research center in Nusantara's core area, adding that the research center would help the authority to develop Nusantara as a smart, green, and sustainable city.

"Several months earlier, Stanford had submitted a Letter of Intent in Jakarta. We have agreed to establish collaboration in the field of research, studies, and capacity-building. Technical matters will be discussed at follow-up meetings," he remarked.

Development of the research center will begin in January or February next year, he added.

Furthermore, Susantono stated that his side would prepare an area of three hectares in Nusantara's core area for constructing the research center.

He affirmed that Stanford alumni from Indonesia would partake in development of the research center, and Stanford would delegate researches to conduct research activities there.

"Both researchers from Indonesia and Stanford will conduct research together there," he stated.

In addition to Stanford, three universities from the Netherlands will collaborate with OIKN in building research centers in Nusantara. Meanwhile, six domestic universities have stated their commitments to developing research centers in the city.

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Translator: Aji C, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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