Cooperative Activities in Indonesia on Science, Technology, and ...

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The goals outl<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>Indonesia</strong>'s 5-year development plans pose a
challenge: how to produce the large numbers of tra<strong>in</strong>ed personnel
required for programs designed to meet these goals. Achiev<strong>in</strong>g these
levels of manpower development will be difficult. <strong>Indonesia</strong> must
<strong>in</strong>crease significantly its output of tra<strong>in</strong>ed personnel and improve the
quality of their tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> severe constra<strong>in</strong>ts on time and
resources. This problem can only be solved by mak<strong>in</strong>g maximum use of
exist<strong>in</strong>g manpower and <strong>in</strong>stitutional mechanisms, by creat<strong>in</strong>g new <strong>in</strong>stitutions
where necessary, and by us<strong>in</strong>g the most suitable tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g technologies,
both old and new.
Activity Summary
To exam<strong>in</strong>e these problems and needs, officials of the M<strong>in</strong>istry of State
for Research and Technology and the <strong>Indonesia</strong>n Institute of Sciences
(LIPI) and an NRC panel held discussions <strong>in</strong> Jakarta, November 8-10,
1982, with the ma<strong>in</strong> purpose of recommend<strong>in</strong>g improvements <strong>in</strong> the process
of plann<strong>in</strong>g science and technology <strong>in</strong> <strong>Indonesia</strong>. More specifically,
their mandate was to identify measures for enhanc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Indonesia</strong>'s
capacity for manpower plann<strong>in</strong>g, collect<strong>in</strong>g the relevant data and analyz<strong>in</strong>g
relative strengths and weaknesses, determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g science <strong>in</strong>dicators
and trends, and hence help<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Indonesia</strong> establish near-term objectives
and priorities.
In the open<strong>in</strong>g plenary session, <strong>Indonesia</strong>n participants described
three aspects of <strong>Indonesia</strong>n science and technology management:
(1) science and technology <strong>in</strong>stitutional policymak<strong>in</strong>g, (2) current
plann<strong>in</strong>g of science and technology manpower development, and (3) the
science and technology education system. Participants were divided <strong>in</strong>to
four technical work<strong>in</strong>g groups on:
• Biotechnology and agro-<strong>in</strong>dustry
• Water and environment
• Industrial development and microelectronics
• Mar<strong>in</strong>e science and underwater technology.
These groups gave special emphasis <strong>in</strong> their discussions to government
policies and <strong>in</strong>stitutional needs, educational needs and mechanisms,
manpower plann<strong>in</strong>g, R&D management and plann<strong>in</strong>g, transfer of technology,
and l<strong>in</strong>kages between universities, research <strong>in</strong>stitutions, and <strong>in</strong>dustry.
Work<strong>in</strong>g groups met for a full day follow<strong>in</strong>g the first day's plenary
discussions. At a plenary session on the third day, the work<strong>in</strong>g group
chairpersons read the conclusions and recommendations that emerged from
their groups and solicited comments from the other participants. These
comments, as well as comments and suggestions made dur<strong>in</strong>g a subsequent
plenary session on cross-cutt<strong>in</strong>g issues such as government policy and
<strong>in</strong>stitutional needs, were taken <strong>in</strong>to consideration <strong>in</strong> formulat<strong>in</strong>g the
f<strong>in</strong>al conclusions and recommendations.
The proceed<strong>in</strong>gs of these discussions are conta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> a report
issued by the National Academy Press.