Research funding allocation for the Ministry of Research Technology and Higher Education (Ristek Dikti) has almost doubled from Rp800 billion to Rp1.53 trillion. Reasons include increasing competitiveness in preparation for ASEAN Common Market and improving the global ranking of Indonesian universities so that they can be included in the 500 best universities.

Ristek Dikti is preparing to fund 15,171 research proposals with a total budget of Rp 1 trillion. This amount will be disbursed to 106 state universities (PTN) and 761 private universities (PTS). The signing of the grant contract was conducted by representatives of 106 PTN and 761 PTS in Jakarta, Thursday (10/3). Ristek Dikti Director General for Research and Development Strengthening Muhammad Dimyati said, each university would receive a grant of Rp 1 billion-Rp 25 billion. In addition, research funding in state universities could also be obtained from the use of non-tax revenue.

There are 16 different research schemes including: foreign cooperation and international publications, fundamental research, research competence, Biomedical, science and technology, MP3EI, research grant competition, national strategic research, the study team graduate, leading research universities, leading research and national strategic flagship research universities and industry, superior undergraduate doctoral graduate studies, doctoral dissertation research, and research faculty beginners.

Source:
• ‘Ristek Dikti Research Budget Increased by almost 100 percent,’ Antaranews.com, 7 March 2016: http://www.antaranews.com/berita/548518/anggaran-riset-kemenristek-dikti...
• ‘Rp 1 Trilion untuk Riset’ Republika, p. 5, 11 March 2016

Commentary by: Teresa Birks, British Council Indonesia, Director Education and Society, teresa.birks@britishcouncil.or.id

Ristek Dikti will focus on applied research, both a national priority but also to ensure clear boundaries with the ISF/ DIPI which is focusing on fundamental research. Challenges to Indonesia’s research ambitions will continue to be poor English and weak writing skills in the publication of international research journals. To this end universities will need to provide language assistance to faculty members, particularly ECRs that are producing research that will be of value to the wider community.

More research funding opportunities are coming on-stream from Ristek Dikti, some of which include the potential for international partnerships as well as training of researchers in e.g. academic English. The Newton Fund should provide numerous avenues for collaboration and partnerships with UK HEIs. However the Ristek Dikti Minister has made some contradictory statements recent with regards to international academic mobility. For example, Minister Nasir, stated in the press this week that the implementation of the State Defence Programme in Indonesian universities, in collaboration with the Indonesian Military (TNI) will prevent Indonesian researchers from working in overseas universities. The Minister implied that researchers that do work overseas are not sufficiently nationalistic.