"We are setting up nine centers of excellence. For instance, in Sulawesi, we are setting up a center of excellence for sea grass, while (those) in Bali and West Nusa Tenggara will be the leading centers of tourism," the Minister of Research and Technology Gusti Muhammad Hatta said here Tuesday.
Thus, he added, if people from other areas wanted to learn about seaweed, they could come directly to Sulawesi. Similarly, those interested in tourism could travel to the respective centers of excellence.
"Currently, research is being conducted. The preparation has to be really good," Gusti added.
Speaking of the schedule of inauguration for the research centers, he said the ministry had targets for achievement, rather than time targets.
"So, if they have already met the requirements, they will be launched," the minister said.
In Indonesia, there are three center of excellence--- a center for palm in Medan (North Sumatra); a center for tropical diseases in Airlangga University, Surabaya (East Java); and a center for coffee and cocoa in Jember (East Java).
"To be the leading center for cocoa takes 100 years," Gusti noted.
In early December, the minister inaugurated two new centers of excellence, namely the Coffee and Cocoa Research Center and the Institute of Tropical Diseases.
(T.KR-LWA / INE/a014)
Editor: Suryanto
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