- Indonesia and France strengthen ties in higher education, science, and technology through expanded research cooperation and postgraduate exchanges.
- Focus areas include AI, semiconductors, food security, and sustainable energy, with CNRS and Campus France pledging deeper engagement with Indonesian institutions.
- Minister Brian Yuliarto urges more double-degree programs and doctoral opportunities, aiming to boost Indonesia’s research capacity and global academic presence.
Indonesia will enhance cooperation with France in the areas of higher education, science, and technology. This was reinforced by a meeting in Jakarta involving Indonesia's Minister for Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, and officials from France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the national scientific research body of France.
Representatives from Campus France, the national promotion agency for higher education and mobility of students, were also on hand.
"Cooperation needs to continue to grow, including through cooperative research, double-degree programs, and sending more of our postgraduate students to France", Yuliarto said in a statement.
He thanked the French government for its commitment to improving bilateral relations and stressed the need to increase research collaboration in areas of national priorities.
Such priority areas are food security, sustainable energy, clean water, downstream industries, defense technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductors. "Through these programs, we hope to inspire more university involvement in boosting the quality and capacity of research in Indonesia," Yuliarto further said.
He also advocated for the growth of initiatives like the Partenariat Hubert Curien (PHC) Nusantara, suggesting more active participation from industry players and more higher education institutions. Yuliarto mentioned that Indonesia has more than 200,000 lecturers who might be able to pursue doctoral studies.
CNRS President Antoine Petit, meanwhile, hailed the prospect of closer collaboration. He mentioned that only five Indonesian postdoctoral students are included in the CNRS network.
“We employ 50,000 people, including 30,000 scientists across all disciplines. We’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and will hold a One Health-themed workshop this fall”, he said.
Campus France Director-General Donatienne Hissard remarked that about 1,000 Indonesian students are currently studying in France a relatively small number given Indonesia’s population and potential.
We stand prepared to assist in designing programs with the LPDP [Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education] in Indonesia to match national priorities," she added. Hissard hoped that the return alumni would bring with them advanced abilities and contribute significantly to national growth.
