Indonesia. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (hereafter “the Ministry”), led by Minister Brian Yuliarto, has admitted that one of the most fundamental issues in higher education today is the weak connection between university research and industry needs.
“Many studies end up only in scientific journals without ever reaching the implementation stage that benefits society. This phenomenon is like a ‘death valley’ of innovation,” stated the Minister during the “Forum for Strengthening Impactful Campuses for Lecturers” held in Malang, East Java.
Why the gap exists
According to the Minister, the research-to-industry pipeline falters primarily because of two interrelated problems:
- A lack of strong collaboration between universities and the business sector.
- The absence of a robust research ecosystem that supports ongoing innovation, including follow-on development, policy adoption, productisation or technology transfer.
Often, research ends when funding stops — rather than moving into development, commercialisation or real-world application. “If the university isn’t present in the industry space, its research will just be stacks of reports,” the Minister observed.
Institutional support is key
The Ministry emphasises the need for a systematic institutional framework that links university research with external parties — both government and private sector.
To enable this, universities should establish specific units or bodies dedicated to bridging the gap — dealing with intellectual property, regulation, and funding for further development. This ensures research evolves beyond academic exercises into concrete solutions for national challenges.
The role of faculty and the example of UMM
Lecturers are pivotal to this ecosystem — they must set research agendas aligned with societal and national development needs, not just produce academic papers.
One promising example cited by the Minister is Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM). With its strong culture of collaboration and community engagement, UMM is seen as having potential to serve as a model campus that not only excels academically but also generates real-world impact.
UMM’s Rector, Prof. Nazaruddin Malik, described the forum as an important moment for the academic community to reaffirm their commitment to being an “impactful campus”. He noted that the vision must go beyond slogans — it must be realised through collective work, service, and sustained innovation.
UMM has taken a major step by establishing a Directorate of Science & Technology (Direktorat Saintek) to facilitate downstreaming of research outcomes from both lecturers and students. “We want UMM to be known not only for our academic quality, but also for our benefit to society. Every lecturer is an agent of change,” he stated.
Why this matters
- Ensuring that university research is relevant, applied and impactful helps boost national competitiveness and innovation-driven growth.
- Bridging university-industry-government links fosters stronger ecosystems for commercialisation, job creation, and societal benefit.
- Academic institutions that embed service and impact into their missions help ensure research remains grounded and aligned with real-world challenges.
Takeaways for stakeholders
- Universities need to proactively embed industry relevance into research planning and execution.
- Institutions should create dedicated innovation-bridging units to support IP, regulation and funding pathways.
- Lecturers must shift from “publish and forget” to “research-to-impact” mindsets.
- Industry must engage more actively with universities, not just as recipients of talent, but as collaborators in innovation.
- Government policy should incentivise and support sustained research ecosystems, not just one-off funding.
Comments