Universities should not only be places for teaching and learning but also serve as catalysts for transformation, innovation hubs, and key contributors to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto underlined the importance of collaboration between Indonesia and the Netherlands in building a sustainable future through education and research.
“This collaboration reflects the joint efforts of Indonesia and the Netherlands to improve the quality of human life and contribute to the world through education and research,” he said during the 2025 Week of Indonesia-Netherlands Education and Research (WINNER) event here on Tuesday.
The minister noted that WINNER serves as a concrete example of a partnership that began at the governmental level and has expanded to higher education institutions.
To date, there are 159 active university-to-university (U2U) cooperation agreements between Indonesian and Dutch institutions, reflecting the growing intensity of academic and research exchanges across various fields.
Yuliarto highlighted that the 2025 WINNER theme, “Building a Sustainable Future through Education and Research,” aligns with the ministry’s vision which emphasizes the real-world impact of higher education.
“We believe that higher education must play a vital role not only in academics but also in driving economic growth and community development,” he said.
He also stressed the need for universities to evolve into drivers of social and economic innovation in the University 4.0 era.
“Universities should not only be places for teaching and learning but also serve as catalysts for transformation, innovation hubs, and key contributors to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he remarked.
Yuliarto referred to the WINNER forum as an important platform for exchanging ideas and knowledge between countries, emphasizing that achieving the SDGs cannot be accomplished alone.
He also expressed appreciation to all parties involved in organizing WINNER 2025 and hoped that participants and stakeholders would benefit from the event.
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Translator: Sean, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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