January 15, 2026 | 04:36 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the government would increase research funding for higher education this year. Initially, the government allocated Rp8 trillion for research activities on campuses. Then, Prabowo ordered an increase in research funding to Rp12 trillion.
Prabowo announced the decision while gathering around 1,200 professors and university leaders at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta today. The meeting took place behind closed doors.
Following the meeting, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi said that Prabowo received various inputs regarding research funding at the forum. "One of them reported that the research funding in universities was only Rp8 trillion," Prasetyo said on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
Prasetyo stated that the allocation of Rp8 trillion is equivalent to 0.34 percent of the total State Expenditure and Income Budget (APBN). Prasetyo said that after receiving the report, Prabowo decided to increase research funding for higher education to Rp12 trillion.
"The President immediately decided to provide additional funding of Rp4 trillion," said the Gerindra Party politician.
He hoped that the additional research funding would strengthen the research climate across all campuses. He also hoped that the campuses could continue to collaborate with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
During the meeting, Prabowo emphasized the importance of campus research activities focusing on achieving food and energy self-sufficiency, as well as preparing for industrialization and downstreaming. "This year will see large-scale groundbreaking, which will certainly require human resources proficient in science and technology," said Prasetyo.
Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, who also attended the meeting, said that the detailed information about the research funding increase was not conveyed at the forum meeting. Brian mentioned that the Ministry of Higher Education was asked to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to discuss the President's directive.
Brian stated that the additional research funding applies to both state and private campuses. "In essence, the President requested a research budget increase of Rp4 trillion," he said after the meeting.
He mentioned that strategic research would be needed because Indonesia plans to build various industries with the Investment Management Agency Danantara as the locomotive. "Starting from waste to energy industry, mineral and food downstreaming, and so on," said Brian.
The government also hopes that higher education institutions can become the foundation for these projects. "It is expected that higher education institutions provide strong research backup, so that our independence in industrial downstreaming is sufficiently high," he said.
Read: Research Funding Sees 218% Hike During Prabowo's Term, Says Deputy Minister
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