RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto encourages universities across Indonesia to actively assist local governments in addressing various development issues, ranging from waste management to environmental planning.

The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto conveyed the directive after being received by the President at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Monday, May 4, 2026.

Brian said that the President inquired about the progress of the implementation of previous directives regarding the involvement of universities in supporting the needs of local governments thru academic expertise and research.

"The President asked me, we at the Ministry of Research and Technology, how far the progress of the departments, study programs, and lecturers who can assist the regional government has come," Brian said.

According to him, the President emphasized the importance of collaboration between campuses and local governments, particularly in strategic fields such as environmental engineering, architecture, and waste processing technology.

The collaboration is expected to support better environmental management programs, while also providing research-based solutions for various issues in the region.

"How can the local governments be assisted, backed up by universities, researchers, and professors in related fields, such as architecture for the beauty of parks, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering for waste management, and so on," he conveyed.

As a follow-up, the Ministry of Education and Technology will soon consolidate universities across Indonesia to form an expert team that can become a strategic partner for regional heads.