JAKARTA – U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, Brian McFeeters, together with the Minister of Research Technology & Higher Education, Muhammad Nasir, launched a 20-million US dollar research program for five (5) Centers for Collaboration Research (CCRs) in Indonesia.
“The establishment of these CCRs will help to develop, foster, and sustain research in science, technology, and innovation fields. The partnership between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the U.S. and Indonesia will improve the ability of researchers and enable research environment in Indonesia,” said DCM McFeeters. “This research partnership will bring together Indonesian and U.S. scholars to conduct world-class research.”
USAID’s Sustainable Higher Education Research Alliances (USAID SHERA) is a five-year university research partnership program between Indonesia and the U.S. that aims to increase the research capacity of Indonesian higher education sector and improve the enabling environment for quality research within Indonesian higher institutions. USAID SHERA will eventually increase Indonesia’s productivity and welfare.
USAID SHERA is working with Ministry of Technology Research and Higher Education (Kemenristekdikti) and around 20 universities in Indonesia and the U.S. to establish CCRs within five top universities in Indonesia: Universitas Indonesia, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Universitas Padjadjaran, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and Institut Pertanian Bogor. The CCR research areas are priorities for Indonesia’s development, including hybrid energy systems; advanced technology for the next generation of electric-based vehicles; inter-disciplinary approaches in response to contemporary global urban challenges; clinical trials to help prevent respiratory infections; and biotechnology for sustainable food production.
In addition to the top five universities, the CCRs will partner with other 18 public and private universities from Aceh to Papua. Their U.S. partner universities are the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Rhode Island, Mississippi State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Florida, and Savannah State University.
“Our target is to bring and apply world class research skills to Indonesian universities,” said Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education, Mohamad Nasir. “We will continue to support this collaboration between Indonesia and American University,” he added.
For more information, visit www.usaid.gov/Indonesia or contact USAID Development Outreach and Communications Specialist Swiny Andina at +62 (21) 3435 9000 or jakartadocs@usaid.gov.
