Diaspora Scientists Called to Help Out at Home

HERYUNANTO

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The Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry, together with the International Indonesian Scientists Association and the Indonesian Academy of Young Scientists held the 2018 World Class Scholar Symposium (SCKD) from August 12-18, 2018.

The SCKD was the third annual event inviting Indonesian scientists from various parts of the world to come together to collaborate and synergize with their domestic partners.

They were present for a week in Indonesia, giving presentations and taking part in panel discussions in Jakarta before around 400 lecturers from university across Indonesia, and they visited universities in a number of regions from Aug. 15-17. Forty-seven Indonesian scientists from 11 countries participated in the 2018 SCKD and were deployed to 55 universities in the regions of Indonesia.

This SCKD had a positive impact on collaborative activities between Indonesian diaspora scientists and their domestic partners, including research collaboration and joint publications. The activity also showed that the state recognizes the importance of diaspora scientists for the progress of the country. Over the past three years, the SCKD has generated the necessary momentum for improved synergy between Indonesian diaspora scientists based around the world.

The Indonesian International Scientific Association (I-4) was initially started by the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) of Germany in mid-2007. The purpose of forming the I-4 was to use the potential of all Indonesian scientists around the world to play a role in developing science and technology at home. The establishment of the I-4 was declared by the PPI of the World on July 5, 2009, at the International Symposium of the PPI in The Hague, Netherlands.

The I-4 was formally inaugurated in Jakarta on Oct. 24, 2009, by Education and Culture Minister  Mohammad Nuh. The next activity, the International Summit was held in Jakarta from Dec. 16-18, 2010. More than 50 diaspora scientists were invited to the event, which was officially opened by then-vice president Boediono. This activity became a historical event for the recognition of diaspora scientists as one of the nation\'s components by the government of Indonesia. Unfortunately, this activity was more ceremonial and there was no further activity to synergize the potential of the diaspora scientists.

ARCHIVE OF THE RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTRY

A total of 47 diaspora scientists who live in various countries offer opportunities for collaboration with universities and institutions in Indonesia as part of their effort to contribute to the advancement of science and technology in Indonesia.

The SCKD activities in the last three years have had a positive impact on organizational development (I-4) in synergizing the potential of Indonesian diaspora scientists in all parts of the world for the development of science and technology and human resources of higher education in Indonesia. The I-4 began to collect data on the potential of Indonesian diaspora scientists in collaboration with the Education and Culture Attachés in the respective countries, such as in US, Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia. This scientist database is the basis for I-4 activities to connect Indonesian diaspora scientists with local scientists in the country in an effort to improve human resources and researches in Indonesia.

The potential of diaspora scientists

The governments of other countries, such as China, India, Korea and Vietnam, have been capitalizing on their respective diasporas for more than 10 years. The potential of the diaspora scientists of these spread out across numerous developed countries has long been identified, and there are various forms of cooperation to link them up with partners in their respective countries of origin for the advancement of science and technology.

KOMPAS/FABIO M LOPES COSTA

Indonesian American Society of Academics (IASA) member, Professor Rachmadian Wulandana, gives materials to teachers from Jayapura State High School SMA 3 and Nabire Adhi Luhur Catholic High School in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday, July 10. The IASA event, which was attended by 75 participants, took place from July 8 to 13, 2018.

Indonesia needs to imitate the success stories of the Chinese, Indian, Korean and Vietnamese diaspora scientists. The expertise, resources and networks owned by diaspora scientists working in developed countries can be used as much as possible for the development of science and technology in their respective countries. Diaspora scientists are an important element of the nation, because they understand the potential of their country of origin and have the resources and networks with developed countries where they work, which can be used for progress in their home country.

The achievements of the 47 scientists who participated in the 2018 SCKD certainly make us very proud, including Irwandi Jaswir, the recipient of  the 2018 King Faisal Prize in the Service to Islam category through his research on halal food; Teruna Siahaan, Aya and Takeru Higuchi as Distinguished Professors and the director of the Global Health Center of the University of Kansas; and Abidin Kusno, director of the York Center for Asian Research, York University.

Their achievements must be imitated by Indonesia\'s next generation to study and work without limits. Currently, Indonesia’s scientific diaspora is still underdeveloped, both in terms of quantity and quality, when compared to the diasporas of other countries. The number of Indonesian diaspora scientists is small as a share of the nation’s population, and no Indonesian diaspora scientist teaches or has a career at a world-leading university, such as Harvard University, MIT, University of Cambridge, or the University of Oxford. We need Indonesia\'s next generation to seize opportunities at the world\'s top universities as well as to continue to transfer their knowledge and experience for the progress of the country, as we do today.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

A legong condong dance is performanced during the Tourism Cultural Gallery event at Melia Bali Hotel, Nusa Dua, Badung, Bali, from Saturday, Sept. 1 to Sunday, Sept 2, 2018. Organized by the Indonesian Diaspora Network United, the event was aimed at promoting and raising funds to help the restoration of Puri Anyar Kerambitan, a palace complex in Tabanan, Bali, which is a cultural heritage site and tourist attraction.

Another thing that needs to be improved is gender equality among Indonesian diaspora scientists, which needs to be addressed immediately. Lecturers in Indonesia need to inspire their students to work not only at the national level, but also at the international level. One of the 2018 SCKD participants, Sastia Prama Putri, is an assistant professor at the School of Engineering, Osaka University. Her series of achievements includes the L’Oreal UNESCO Award for Women in Science in 2015. This writer believes many young Indonesian women would want to work like Sastia Prama Putri.

The 47 Indonesian diaspora scientists have returned to their respective campuses. They will continue to work and synergize with university lecturers in Indonesia. The activities they initiated during their two-day visit to a number of universities in Indonesia will be continued, such as research collaboration, joint research articles, curriculum development, building new research centers and sending master, doctoral and post-doctoral students to the campuses of diaspora scientists in 11 countries. This activity needs to be developed further in the future. The potential of diaspora scientists needs to be exploited to the maximum for the interests of science and technology development and university resources in Indonesia.

Deden Rukmana, Chairman of the International Indonesian Scientists Association