“It is not that research on music and the brain is lacking globally, but (in Indonesia) no studies have been conducted yet,” Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Stella Christie said at the third workshop on music and the brain here on Sunday.
On the other hand, she said, the government provides grant funding for research, which over the past year has been increased by 218 percent. Research funding in 2025 reached Rp3.2 trillion or around US$190 million, up 218 percent compared to Rp1.4 trillion in 2024.
“In Indonesia, we have capable lecturers. We create an ecosystem and provide funding. That is why research grant funding in Indonesia has increased by 218 percent in just one year,” Christie said.
In addition, she said, there are incentives for lecturers who receive grants from the ministry, amounting to 25 percent of the awarded research funds.
She added that research fields to be explored, particularly related to music and the brain in Indonesia, are also wide open, including Indonesia's rich musical heritage, such as gamelan, traditional instruments, and contemporary music trends.
The music and brain workshop was held by ministry in collaboration with Tsinghua University and the Tsinghua South East Asia Center at the United in Diversity (UID) Campus Bali, located in the Kura Kura Special Economic Zone (KEK) in Serangan, Denpasar.
The workshop served as a forum for professors and art communities from abroad to share their knowledge on the effects of music on brain intelligence.
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Translator: Dewa, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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