UK And Indonesia Sign Agreements on Technology And Innovation

Jakarta, 10 Muharram 1438/11 Oktober 2016 (MINA) – The British and Indonesian governments here Tuesday signed agreements on technology and innovation partnerships with Indonesia’s Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT).

UK Minister for Asia Alok Sharma signed the agreements on his official visit to Indonesia, along with Director General for Innovation Enhancement Dr Jumai Appe.

The signing was witnessed by British Ambassador to Indonesia Moazzam Malik and Indonesia Minister for Research, Technology and Higher Education Muhammad Nasir.

The agreement will support collaboration between the ministry’s Directorate General for Innovation Enhancement and the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, which will provide fully funded intensive training for Indonesian “technopreneurs”, as well as innovation grants for joint projects on technology improvements worth £800,000.

UK Minister for Asia, Alok Sharma said The UK is at the forefront in global innovation.

“We are proud to have established a partnership with Indonesia in nurturing technological innovations. Indonesia is an important partner country for the Newton Fund-the UK’s £375m official development assistance fund that aims to promote research and innovation cooperation. In this age of innovation, the UK will continue to collaborate with important partners like Indoensia to meet global challenges,” UK Minister for, Asia Alok Sharma, said.

Indonesia Minister for Research, Technology and Higher Education Muhammad Nasir said through the partnership with the UK scientific community under the Newton Fund program, Indonesia can develop the capacity of its own innovators to be able to tackle developmental challenges.

“We want to leverage UK expertise and build an equal partnership by helping our innovators to learn best practice and collaborate on joint projects. This year will mark the first of what we hope to be a long-term fruitful bilateral collaboration in science and innovation,” Muhammad Nasir said.

The Newton Fund aims to promote the economic development and social welfare of either the partner countries or, working with the partner country, to address the well being of communities.

In Indonesia, the Newton Fund has been re-launched as UK-Indonesia Science and technology Fund in March 2016. Newton Fund provides joint funding for research and innovation in partnership with the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, the Indonesia Science Fund and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). (L/P007/R07)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)