Speaking at the Antara Business Forum (ABF) in Jakarta on Wednesday, she said that rapidly developing countries focus on the research university model rather than teaching-oriented institutions.
She stressed that strengthening innovation, which can be accelerated through the gradual adoption of the research university model, will help drive economic growth.
She cited China as a country that successfully implemented the research university concept in the 1980s, enabling it to emerge as a technology leader by the 2020s.
“We can see China’s position today in 2025. They transformed their universities into research universities,” she said.
Christie noted that the technology and innovation cluster currently contributes 13.4 percent to China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She also referred to a 2016 study by Fryman and Balina, which found that research is inseparable from a nation’s economic growth. According to the study, research directly increases GDP by 0.2 percent in the short term and 0.9 percent in the long term.
“Therefore, if we want to achieve eight percent economic growth, we must also pay attention to research. The data clearly supports this,” she said.
The deputy minister underlined that the Indonesian government is working to improve both the quantity and quality of research in the country.
One of the measures taken is increasing the research budget from Rp1.47 trillion (US$87.9 million) to Rp3.2 trillion (US$191.3 million).
Christie called on all relevant stakeholders to work together to strengthen innovation and advance science-based economic growth in Indonesia.
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Translator: Sean Filo, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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