Nusantara Becomes a Global Living Laboratory

RRI.CO.ID, Nusantara - Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, is being developed as a living laboratory for sustainable city research and education. The Nusantara Authority is collaborating with Leiden–Delft–Erasmus Universities (LDE) and Mulawarman University to provide young people with hands-on learning opportunities on Thursday, 6 February 2026.

Representative from the Nusantara Authority, Myrna Asnawati Safitri, highlighted the importance of student involvement in research.  

“The Nusantara Authority has a collaboration or MoU with the LDE Consortium. Today, a number of students, especially Master’s students from various disciplines, plan to undertake research on Nusantara. We are also considering future joint activities that Nusantara staff can participate in,” she said.​

The forum also gave junior staff from Nusantara Authority a chance to share ideas and concepts for the city’s future planning while interacting directly with academics from Indonesia and the Netherlands. Head of Research at the Department of Urbanism, Delft University of Technology, Prof. dr. ing. Steffen Nijhuis, hailed Nusantara as a global example of a sustainable city. 

“We are very happy to be here, as we were able to observe the city’s development firsthand, including discussions with young people involved in planning, building, and managing the city. Therefore, I believe Nusantara is like a living laboratory, not only for Indonesia but for the entire world,” he said.

Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at Mulawarman University, Irawan Wijaya Kusuma, added that the forum strengthens the role of young people in Nusantara’s development. 

“Every time we discuss with Ms. Myrna, we always gain new and interesting information. Of course, here (in Nusantara) we also have a responsibility to contribute. In five to ten years, that responsibility will pass to the younger generation who will continue the roles we previously held,” he said.​

The visit concluded with stops at strategic sites in KIPP Nusantara, the Tropical Rainforest Miniature area, a glamping (glamour camping) zone, and a tree planting ceremony at Plaza Bhinneka Tunggal Ika as a symbol of Nusantara’s commitment to sustainability. Through this academic collaboration, the Nusantara Authority reinforces the capital as an open learning space, encouraging research, innovation, and leadership for the next generation in sustainable urban development.