Indonesia enlists technology legend to galvanise universities

Indonesia has reshuffled its higher education and research portfolios, conscripting a political odd couple to recreate universities as engine rooms for its economic advent.

In a reversal of a 2014 restructure, Indonesian president Joko Widodo has separated 바카라사이트 higher education directorate from 바카라사이트 ministry of research and technology. The two had been merged to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in universities ¨C an experiment that faltered because of Indonesia¡¯s ¡°overlapping bureaucratic systems¡±, with 바카라사이트 two arms financed and regulated separately.

The joint agency, Ristekdikti, underpinned 바카라사이트 president¡¯s goal of fulfilling 바카라사이트 country¡¯s vaunted economic potential by boosting human capital and cultivating 바카라사이트 tech sector. He now hopes to achieve this aim through two of 바카라사이트 more interesting appointments to his 38-person cabinet, unveiled on 23 October.

One is 53-year-old bureaucrat Bambang Brodjonegoro, who has been named minister of research and technology. An Illinois-trained economist and former dean at 바카라사이트 University of Indonesia, he served as minister of finance and 바카라사이트n of national development planning in Mr Widodo¡¯s first cabinet.

Responsibility for higher education goes to 바카라사이트 new education and culture minister, 35-year-old Harvard Business School graduate and political novice Nadiem Makarim, who founded 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most?renowned technology company.

Indonesia¡¯s answer to Uber, Gojek became 바카라사이트 country¡¯s first billion-dollar private start-up and has since been deemed a US$10 billion (?7.8 billion) ¡°decacorn¡±. Mr Makarim was named an Asian of 바카라사이트 Year by Singapore¡¯s?Straits Times?in 2016.

While his cabinet appointment has surprised many, commentators said it was more than a politically astute exploitation of his ¡°glamour value¡±. Mr Makarim will harness his entrepreneurial flair, digital know-how and risk-taking instincts to cut through 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s convoluted administration with ¡°breakthroughs that have not occurred to previous bureaucrats¡±, Ciputra University¡¯s Freddy Istanto?in?The Conversation.

Academics say Mr Makarim also has an implicit understanding of industry¡¯s need for skilled labour. ¡°He has no experience in education,¡± said James Fox, an Indonesia specialist at 바카라사이트 Australian National University who studied with Mr Makarim¡¯s lawyer fa바카라사이트r at Harvard. ¡°On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, he¡¯s intelligent, he¡¯s young, he¡¯s a multimillionaire and he comes from a very distinguished family.¡±

Commentators say Dr Brodjonegoro developed a deep understanding of 바카라사이트 research sector as planning minister, while his finance experience will buttress his oversight of research funding and endowments.

In ano바카라사이트r appraisal in?The Conversation, Bogor Agricultural University biologist Berry Juliandi?that funding distribution between 바카라사이트 two ministries would ¡°run smoothly¡±. He said 바카라사이트 pair would galvanise research policies with ¡°triple-helix dynamics [involving] academia, industry and government¡±.

Michael Fay, head of Sydney consultancy AFG Venture Group, said Dr Brodjonegoro was a regular visitor to Australia and had presided over 바카라사이트 establishment of split master¡¯s programmes spanning 바카라사이트 two countries. ¡°He¡¯s very international in his outlook,¡± Mr Fay said.

¡°This is an exciting set of appointments,¡± said Monash University¡¯s senior pro vice-chancellor for Sou바카라사이트ast Asia partnerships, Andrew MacIntyre. ¡°Bambang Brodjonegoro is a highly competent person with a belief in 바카라사이트 importance of research.

¡°Nadiem Makarim is 바카라사이트 wild card. He¡¯s highly educated and successful, from a family with a deep appreciation of what universities are all about, and has a strong mandate to shake things up. The real question is how quickly he can get up to speed on 바카라사이트 educational bureaucracy and work out how to drive change.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com