Jakarta | The Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Puspayoga, is working to ensure that university research results can obtain People's Business Credit (KUR).
In a written statement in Jakarta on Monday, the minister stated that many products and technological developments from university Research and Community Service Institutes (LPPM) as well as Regional Research and Development Agencies (Balitbangda) have the potential to receive KUR.
"I will facilitate potential products from universities to gain access to funding from KUR," said Minister Puspayoga.
On the same day, he signed a cooperation agreement with the Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education, M. Nasir, regarding the Development and Utilization of Technology Research Results for Cooperatives and SMEs at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Semarang.
According to Puspayoga, many research findings from universities have so far only ended up in libraries or merely served as research materials.
This, he said, is due to various obstacles, ranging from marketing to financing.
Yet, many of these research findings could be further developed into commercial products that benefit society.
So far, although KUR has been widely utilized by the public, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it has not yet reached universities.
"With this cooperation, we will implement various campus products into mass products that can become commercial products," he said.
After signing the cooperation agreement, Minister Puspayoga was invited to tour exhibition booths of leading universities in West Java, Central Java, and East Java.
Minister Puspayoga expressed admiration for the various research results from these universities.
For example, at the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) booth, there were superior seedlings ranging from rice, papaya, to chili.
Then, Airlangga University Surabaya showcased cassava flour, while Pekalongan University presented the utilization of waste into batik.
Meanwhile, Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education, M. Nasir, stated that the number of researchers in university LPPMs has significantly increased compared to previous years.
"If in 2012 there were around 1,400 researchers, this number grew to 2,100 in 2013. In 2014, it increased again to 2,200, and in 2015, the number of researchers has risen significantly to 10,000 people," he said.
According to him, many research themes indicate that universities have a strong awareness of supporting SME performance.
"Now, it is just a matter of how to implement that support. So we are collaborating with the Ministry of SMEs and Cooperatives, as well as the Ministry of Villages, to develop campus products so they can be implemented in everyday life," he said.
Source: Antara