Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara – The BaKTI Foundation (Eastern Indonesia Knowledge Exchange), through the support of KONEKSI, held the Eastern Indonesia Researcher Knowledge Forum. This forum brings together a network of researchers from Eastern Indonesia with the government and the private sector to bridge the gap between research and policy in the Eastern Indonesia region (KTI) and encourage sustainable and inclusive development.
Collaboration between the government, private sector, and researchers will result in better policies in Eastern Indonesia. Researchers provide data and analysis for accurate, evidence-based decision-making, thereby reducing the risk of speculative decisions. This collaboration also increases government transparency and accountability and strengthens capacity in utilising research for effective policymaking.
“There are many challenges and development issues at the local level that are priority issues for local governments that have not been resolved. Collaboration between researchers, government, and the private sector in developing knowledge through research will undoubtedly produce innovative and targeted policy recommendations for more effective development in eastern Indonesia,” said M. Yusran Laitupa, Executive Director of the BaKTI Foundation.
A collaborative network among researchers is also crucial. This network will facilitate training, development, and opportunities to collaborate on joint research. The KONEKSI program serves as a platform to encourage knowledge exchange, expand networks, and carry out capacity building activities in Eastern Indonesia.
“KONEKSI has a strong focus on equity and social inclusion, including how to address regional knowledge gaps in Indonesia. KONEKSI also supports the Knowledge-to-Policy (K2P) and Knowledge-to-Innovation (K2I) cycles in a complementary and synergistic way,” explained Jana Hertz, Team Leader of KONEKSI.
Through this forum, BaKTI and KONEKSI seek to identify research support needs for strategic issues in Eastern Indonesia. Some of the strategic issues that are the focus of discussion include the threat of climate change, vulnerability to disasters, demographic bonuses, economic inequality, human quality, as well as local wisdom and the role of indigenous peoples.
Although rich in natural resources, eastern Indonesia still faces various development challenges. The relatively high poverty rate, low human development index, and infrastructure gaps are some issues that need serious attention. For this reason, collaborative and synergistic efforts are needed between various stakeholders, including researchers, government, and the private sector.
