RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia continues to strengthen its strategic cooperation with South Korea in higher education, science, technology, and research to support human resource development and national innovation.

The issue was highlighted during a meeting between Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, and South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Yoon Soon-Gu, at the Ministry’s office on Thursday, May 7, 2026.

According to a statement released by the ministry, the government reaffirmed its commitment to expanding inter-university collaboration, joint research, and the development of universities and faculties focused on health and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

“There have already been many collaborations between Indonesian and Korean universities, and we hope to further increase those partnerships. We can also develop more strategic collaborative projects between universities in Indonesia and Korea,” Minister Brian said.

In addition to strengthening higher education cooperation, both sides discussed strategic research partnerships focused on downstream industrial implementation and commercialization. Priority sectors include food security, green energy, electric vehicles, battery technology, critical minerals, and nuclear energy to support national energy security.

The government is also encouraging greater mobility for Indonesian students to South Korea through academic programs such as joint research, annual workshops, and student and lecturer exchanges.

Ambassador Yoon Soon-Gu expressed support for the strengthened cooperation, particularly in the development of STEM- and medical-based higher education institutions in Indonesia.

“We will convey Indonesia’s request to the Korean government and explore how we can support it, including through curriculum development, the deployment of professors and researchers, and support for educational and research equipment,” Ambassador Yoon said.

During the meeting, both parties also discussed concrete follow-up cooperation after Indonesia’s commitment to establish new STEM- and health-based schools and universities. The South Korean Embassy welcomed the plan and requested an official proposal as the basis for exploring further support.

Going forward, Indonesia–South Korea collaboration is expected to strengthen national research capacity, accelerate technology downstreaming, and support the development of a globally competitive innovation ecosystem.