UNAIR NEWS – In the series of 65th Anniversary of Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), one of the events held by the university is anniversary assembly, and it was held on Monday, November 11 at Garuda Mukti Hall, Campus C Management Office, UNAIR. The activity attended by Prof. Bambang Permadi Soemantri Brodjonegoro, S.E., MUP., Ph.D. as Minister of Research and Technology of National Innovation Technology Research Agency.
He stated that UNAIR has participated and contributed to the development of research and innovation in supporting the country progress.
“UNAIR has contributed by producing hundreds of thousands of scholars, research and innovation to support national development,” said Prof. Bambang.
On that occasion, Prof. Bambang stated that Indonesia has entered G20 Economy, but the nation is still a Middle Income Economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is still low among other G20 countries.
“Our level of competitiveness in the global competitiveness index is ranked 50th while in the global innovation index is ranked 86, and the human development index is ranked 116,” said the man who had just been appointed as the Minister of Research and Technology.
Prof. Bambang said Indonesia as a country with a high-income category and will likely enter the top five largest GDPs in the world by 2045. According to him, this idea can be realized by building an adaptive, competitive, innovative and productive nation through strengthening ecosystem research and innovation, especially in universities.
A paradigm shift with superior human resources, mastering science and technology to change Indonesia’s economic paradigm from Resource-Based Economy to Innovation-Based Economy is needed for the future.
“One essential thing is applying the concept of innovation-based economy, utilizing science and technology to manage and implementing national production sectors, and innovation must be done through synergy between national stakeholders, namely academia, business, and government,” he said.
Prof. Bambang also explained the need for research and innovation in the health field. Drugs and medical devices are the main products that have strict regulations. Certified skilled workers can be used directly by the community. So, without research and innovation, the pharmaceutical industry and medical devices will be left behind.
Furthermore, he also appreciated UNAIR for giving birth to various research and innovation products that have been utilized by the community. Products with research and innovation development require a long time, especially for Stem Cell innovations and capsules from seaweed shells.
“We can develop and produce our medicines and medical devices needed by the community,” he concluded (*)
Author: Febrian Tito Zakaria Muchtar
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
