Jakarta, March 31, 2021 – The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) and Merck, today announced the inauguration of a concrete form of strategic partnership to establish a Collaborative Laboratory between the company and UI. The collaborative laboratory, located in the Department of Biology Building, FMIPA UI, was established to help advance research and development of life science innovation in Indonesia. This was marked by the signing of the Master Cooperation Agreement between Merck and the University of Indonesia, and the inauguration by Prof. Bambang Brodjonegoro, S.E., M.U.P, Ph.D, Minister of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia/Head of the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency.
“The University of Indonesia is one of the most prominent research centers in Indonesia,” said Christopher Thomas, president director of PT Merck Chemicals and Life Science. “Through this Collaborative Laboratory, Merck will facilitate the need for advanced laboratory equipment, support the transfer of expertise and knowledge, and expand laboratory access to academics and scientists for life science research from within and outside UI, including other research institutions. We hope that our support can empower young researchers to produce world-class life science research and breakthroughs.”
“The University of Indonesia is one of the most prominent research centers in Indonesia,” said Christopher Thomas, president director of PT Merck Chemicals and Life Science. “Through this Collaborative Laboratory, Merck will facilitate the need for advanced laboratory equipment, support the transfer of expertise and knowledge, and expand laboratory access to academics and scientists for life science research from within and outside UI, including other research institutions. We hope that our support can empower young researchers to produce quality life science research and breakthroughs. This Collaborative Laboratory is part of Indonesia's grand strategy to drive a natural resource-based economy into an innovation-based economy. Based on the National Research Master Plan (RIRN) 2017-2045, it has a vision that by 2045 Indonesia is expected to be able to escape the middle-class income trap to become a country with an advanced economy, the basis of which is competitiveness and sovereignty based on science and technology. Efforts to produce strong research and technology cannot be done alone and must involve various parties. Since 2020, the Ministry of Research and Technology has been promoting the 2020-2024 National Research Priorities (PRN) with various focuses including producing innovations that are appropriate, easily accessible, innovations that produce import substitution and increase local content, innovations that produce added value, especially from natural resources and commercialization, and innovations that can pursue frontier technology," said Prof. Bambang.nia."
Furthermore, Prof. Bambang said that the efforts made by FMIPA UI and Merck are in line with PRN, namely bridging the very large gap between research and the business world. "This collaboration is a very good solution, because the cooperation has been going well since the beginning (upstream), then it can be continued with innovation, industrialization, to the commercialization stage. We always support cooperation that fosters the world of research and innovation in Indonesia. We hope that what Merck and UI are doing can spur more collaboration, especially in the world of life science in this country."
UI Rector Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., welcomed the cooperation and initiative from Merck to build a Collaborative Laboratory at FMIPA UI. "PT Merck Chemical and Life Sciences (MCLS) supports the Collaborative Laboratory equipment at the Department of Biology FMIPA UI to strengthen research in the field of Life Sciences.
"The collaboration between UI and MCLS in the field of life sciences research was initiated to strengthen research in the fields of environmental monitoring, chemical analysis, microbiology and molecular biology, as well as innovation in the fields of food, agriculture, and waste management," said Prof. Ari.
“One of the challenges in developing life science and research in Indonesia is minimal collaboration with industry experts. Support from Merck is the right answer and a catalyst to drive innovation and research in the field of life science. With this collaboration, we hope that many young Indonesian scientists can produce optimal life science research so that they can provide solutions to various existing problems, especially related to the current pandemic and climate change,” said Prodita Sabrini, Executive Editor of The Conversation Indonesia.
Merck will implement a continuous mentoring process as well as a series of workshops and seminars to transfer knowledge and expertise to UI scientists and academics as part of the collaboration.
