JAKARTA - Indonesia and France are expanding cooperation in higher education, science and technology following an agreement by both countries to strengthen research collaboration and academic exchanges.
The initiative follows President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to France in late May, where he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in research and education.
The expanded partnership aims to support the development of solutions to common economic, technological and environmental challenges facing both nations.
Indonesia’s Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto welcomed the cooperation and highlighted its potential to generate practical research outcomes.
“Indonesia's biodiversity and mineral resources can be combined with France's technological strengths and research capacity to create innovation and support industrial downstreaming,” he said.
Yuliarto also called for broader academic mobility programmes between the two countries.
He said Indonesia was keen to attract more foreign professors and researchers to teach, conduct joint research and strengthen international academic networks with local institutions.
“We are opening broader opportunities for French professors and researchers to become visiting professors at Indonesian universities,” he added.
French Ambassador to Indonesia Fabien Penone said education, research and academic mobility remained central pillars of the strategic relationship between the two countries.
“France continues encouraging broader research cooperation with Indonesia, including greater involvement from French research institutions,” Penone said.
Valerie Verdier, chief executive of the Institute of Research for Development (IRD), said the organisation has worked with Indonesian universities and research centres for around 50 years.
Existing IRD partners in Indonesia include Gadjah Mada University, Bandung Institute of Technology and IPB University.
The cooperation currently covers areas such as geoscience, disaster mitigation, maritime studies, biodiversity, environmental conservation and sustainable development.
Both countries expressed hopes of expanding joint research projects, researcher exchanges and academic mobility programmes supported through collaborative funding mechanisms.
Discussions also covered opportunities for cooperation in emerging and strategic technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, space technology and nuclear technology.
Indonesia and France elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership in recent years, with cooperation spanning defence, trade, education, science and sustainability.
Academic and scientific collaboration has become an increasingly important component of the relationship as both countries seek to strengthen innovation ecosystems and address global challenges through research.
France is home to some of Europe's leading research institutions and universities, while Indonesia is investing heavily in higher education reform, research capacity and technology development to support its long-term economic transformation agenda.
