Indonesia

Political framework for the scientific and technological cooperation

According to the STC agreement of 1979, the declared priority areas of bilateral cooperation are marine research, energy research, aerospace research, geosciences, social sciences and the humanities, all scientific fields and technologies that can help to drive forward the industrial development, and scientific information and documentation activities.

The general aim is to incorporate industry partners in the collaborations, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs, in accordance with the EU’s definition). One of the ways in which Indonesia is pursuing this objective of creating closer links between research and commercial application is the establishment of Business & Technology Centres (BTC). The BMBF supports this endeavour by funding workshops and observation visits in Germany as well as by conducting on-site consultations.

Basis and key areas of cooperation

On the basis of the STC agreement, the BMBF cooperates with Indonesia with the help of an inter-ministerial committee. Four joint steering committees coordinate the collaboration, which is classified into the thematic areas: marine research and geosciences, the tsunami early warning system, and geothermics and biotechnology. The first three topics will be presented in the following. A further important thematic field is the cooperation on the National Innovation System.

Marine research and geosciences
One key reason for the quick response to the tsunami was Germany and Indonesia’s long-standing cooperation in a joint steering committee for marine research and geosciences (EOR – Earth and Ocean Research). Particularly, past experiences in bilateral river and coastal zone management projects and the joint use of research vessels play a very important role in this.

The joint steering committee looks after numerous projects for sustainable resource management under the heading "Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Marine Ecosystems" (SPICE). They receive financial support under the BMBF’s funding programmes. The Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology in Bremen undertakes important activities on behalf of the committee (workshops, summer schools, scientist exchanges, etc). Further information on SPICE can be found at http://www.bmbf.de/de/4852.php, http://www.ptj.de/indonesien/beispiele, and http://www.zmt-bremen.de/Page1179.html.

Tsunami Early Warning System
In spring 2005, a steering committee for bilateral cooperation in the establishment of a tsunami early warning system (“TEWS – Tsunami Early Warning System”) constituted itself. The basis for this collaboration with Indonesia is the Joint Declaration between Germany and Indonesia of 14 March 2005.

As part of its development reconstruction aid to the affected region, the Federal Government provided €45 million for the development of the tsunami early warning system. The German-Indonesian system forms the main part of the overall concept of the Tsunami Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean, whose construction is being coordinated by UNESCO/IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission). The early warning centre was handed over to Indonesia in spring 2011.

Different scientific organisations cooperate closely under the leadership of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centres, represented by the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (National Research Centre for Geosciences). These are as follows: the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR), the Research Centre Geesthacht (GKSS), the German Marine Research Consortium (KDM), the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), and the United Nations University in Bonn (UNU).

As part of its special geotechnology programme, the BMBF is providing 1.3 million euros in funding for a further project which deals with the subject “last mile” (transferring the warning signal to private residences and hotels). In close cooperation with the GITEWS project outlined above, a joint project between several scientific institutions and SMBs is using hydro-dynamic models to simulate the incursion of a flood wave into an urban area, whereas the city of Padang in Indonesia serves as an example. Based on its results, settlement structures, topographic circumstances etc., evacuation plans are being developed in collaboration with local authorities. 

Geothermal energy
Since October 2009, the STC project “Geothermal energy: sustainability concepts for exploitation of geothermal reservoirs in Indonesia – capacity building and methodologies for site deployment” has been supported by the BMBF with almost 9 million euros over a period of four years. Responsibility for scientific coordination on the German side lies with the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) and on the Indonesian side with the University of Indonesia in Jakarta. The aim of the cooperation is to optimise the utilisation of geothermal reservoirs in Indonesia and develop concepts for exploring and exploiting geothermal reservoirs with Indonesian partners. The creation of a geothermal energy research and training centre funded by Indonesian universities is also planned. Mobile power plants have the advantage that they can be deployed as needed in the various regions and are able to supply small settlements with electricity. This variation on the subject of geothermal energy is a localised solution.

Collaborative project on karst waters
The collaborative project “Karst Waters” is an example-project funded by the BMBF. This project focuses on opening up and making use of underground karst waters in the province of Yogyakarta. The most important project in the field of environmental research and technology, which is being carried out under the leadership of the universities of Karlsruhe and Yogyakarta, has the aim of enabling a sustainable use of subterranean rivers in a sporadically arid region in Java. The technologies adapted for this project can also be used in karst regions with subterranean rivers in other parts of the world and therefore have great market potential.

National Innovation System
Indonesia offers important and interesting examples for the evaluation and modernisation of the Indonesian science landscape, which is to be achieved mainly by better connecting research and industrial application and by promoting SMBs. The basis of the cooperation are the “PERISKOP” study by the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, funded by the BMBF, and the measures derived from it by the Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology (RISTEK) to promote technology transfer between Indonesian science and Indonesian industry through the newly founded Business Technology Centres (BTC). A German CIM (Centre for International Migration & Development) expert has been working at RISTEK in this area since August 2006.
VDI/VDE-IT conducts a number of training and advisory measures with Indonesian partners, primarily BTC and RISTEK, designed to effectively integrate the BTC concept. Based on the Modular Training Concept on Innovation (MTCI), various measures to strengthen the National Innovation System have been carried out by the end of 2010.

Role of the International Bureau of the BMBF

On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the International Bureau aims to extend the international networking of German universities, research institutions and businesses in order to secure enhanced competencies and innovative advantages for German science and industry. The International Bureau thereby contributes to implementing the international dimension in the specialist programmes of the BMBF.