Cyprus has increased its push to strengthen its Research and Development (R&D) sector through a recent visit by the country's chief scientist to Indonesia. Cyprus Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides, in company with Ambassador Nikos Panagiotou, met top research leaders at the highest level in Jakarta. While in the capital, Skourides sat down with Laksana Tri Handoko, BRIN Chairman of the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia.
“Cyprus is keen on strengthening its research excellence and innovation ecosystem”, Skourides said.
He also spoke about the country’s recognition as a strong innovator on the European Innovation Scoreboard for the third consecutive year and its ranking as 27th on the Global innovation index.
Skourides detailed the National Research and Innovation Strategy 2024-2026, focusing on key areas such as digital technologies, energy, environment, climate change, agrifood, maritime, health, and space.
“Cyprus has 3,500 researchers, 4,000 entrepreneurs, over 500 technology companies and startups, 12 universities, 20 research organisations, and seven centres of excellence”, he said.
He added that “collaboration with like-minded nations enables us to leverage our strong industrial base and transfer knowledge to society”.
Handoko outlined Indonesia’s innovation ecosystem, which includes 12 research organisations and 87 research centres.
He emphasised the country’s ambition to develop an integrated electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, aiming to become one of the world’s top three EV battery producers by 2027.
“Research collaboration with Indonesia has the potential to create value for both ecosystems, future-proofing them against emerging challenges”, Skourides said.
The Cypriot delegation also toured BRIN’s Agriculture and Food Science Park, hosted by Dwinita Wikan Utami, Head of the Research Centre for Horticultural and Estate Crops.
Discussions extended to the Hi Incubator, where CEO and Co-founder Daniel Tumewu explained the incubator’s partnerships with global technology hubs in London and Munich.
According to Skourides, “Startups operating in unified environments can test products across distinct markets simultaneously, increasing speed, agility, and minimising risk”.
He elaborated on the importance of research, infrastructure, commercialisation, and innovation excellence, referring to these as the '4E’s' that drive successful ecosystems.
Further talks involved Ilham A. Habibie, Chief Executive of the National ICT Council, and Shinta Danuwardoyo, Head of the Permanent Committee for Digital Business, e-Commerce, and Startups Development at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).
Habibie expressed interest in collaborating on sectors such as ShipTech, AgroTech, and HealthTech. Both parties agreed to follow up in early 2025.
Skourides emphasised that Cyprus’ Vision 2035 aims to foster economic and societal growth through innovation.
“The Indonesian pharmaceutical industry, with 241 drug manufacturers and 17 raw drug industries, represents a significant opportunity for collaboration”, Skourides noted.
“Leveraging AI to advance medicine and health solutions could accelerate R&D cycles, enabling faster transitions from lab to market”.
Attending those meetings were Deputy Chairman of Human Resources of Science and Technology at BRIN Edy Giri Rachman Putra, and also Mila Kencana, Head of the Bureau for Legal and Cooperation. Additional activities that form part of the schedule included a visit to and tour of the Agriculture and Food Science Park, among other research facilities at BRIN, followed by extra discussions with important figures related to research and innovation from Indonesia.
These key consultations mark a significant step within the efforts of Cyprus to bring it closer to the rank of the world's biggest innovation players. With consultation with Indonesia, Cyprus collaborates to utilize each state's expertise and resources in pursuit of innovative solutions that create mutual benefits for both nations. The results of these talks further establish a solid foundation toward future partnerships, with continuous and continued growth and success in today's dynamic global innovation environment.
