Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Research funding during Prabowo's administration has increased up to 218 percent, said Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Stella Christie.
"This is a significant raise," said Stella on Thursday, January 15, as it occurred in the first year of Prabowo's presidency.
Stella mentioned that Prabowo has also pushed for financial incentives for researchers. The incentives can now be directly distributed to researchers who win grants from the government.
The direct incentive scheme was barred over the past few years, but Stella boasted that it has been successfully implemented under her ministry.
Today, President Prabowo invited over 1,200 professors, rectors, and deans from various universities to the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Stella also attended the closed-door meeting.
State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi explained why the meeting with Prabowo today was not open to public. "Apologies, the agenda was indeed closed because there are many technical matters that the President hopes to discuss with the rectors and professors," said Prasetyo at the Presidential Palace on Thursday morning.
Prabowo gathered the academics in his role as the head of state and government. "To discuss and convey his views, updates on the nation's and geopolitical conditions, as well as the big plans that we strive to work on in the future," said the politician from the Gerindra Party.
Prasetyo mentioned that Prabowo, as the head of state, communicates with various parties, including university professors and high-ranking officials from higher education institutions.
Prasetyo said Prabowo discusses several topics with the academics, including addressing the shortage of doctors in the country and improvement in the quality of higher education.
"If possible, we are currently trying to figure out how these universities can advance and improve in quality, and without burdening the public or the students in terms of financing," he said.