70 Years Anniversary of FEB UI, Public Lecture with the Minister of Research and Technology / National Agency for Research and Innovation: The Power of Cooperation and Innovation in Overcoming the Covid-19 Pandemic
Nino Eka Putra ~ PR of FEB UI
DEPOK – (11/11/2020) Prof. Bambang PS Brodjonegoro, Ph.D., Minister of Research and Technology / Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (Menristek / BRIN), delivered a public lecture on the topic “The Power of Cooperation and Innovation in Overcoming the Covid-19 Pandemic” at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia (FEB UI). The lecture was held in a series of activities for the 70th Anniversary of FEB UI, moderated by Teguh Dartanto, Ph.D., Deputy Dean for Education, Research and Student Affairs, FEB UI, on Wednesday (11/11/2020).
Acting Dean of FEB UI, Dr. Beta Yulianita Gitaharie said in her speech that the theme of the Public Lecture at the 70th FEB UI Anniversary series is in line with the theme of the FEB UI Anniversary, namely Together, Innovating, Advantageous. “All of the achievements are the results of cooperation from many parties, as well as innovation. Innovation is a process that is only possibly done in a team, and produces a valuable outcome for the people of Indonesia and the world. This is what encourages us to learn continuously from our graduates outside the campus, to provide insights, ideas, and lectures in class or work opportunities, to achieve continuous improvement.” said Beta.
Rector of Universitas Indonesia, Professor Ari Kuncoro, opened the event by stating, “There are two key words, namely innovation and collaboration. In this modern era, we cannot innovate on our own, we need collaboration that creates synergies and thus generating new ideas. This is where BRIN takes an important role, said Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro, to see the points of innovation and connect them, and to create an enormous innovation research system in the form of technopreneurs by identifying a common thread. It is hoped that this Public Lecture will provide insights to increase cooperation, innovation, and passion for what we are trying to accomplish and to build FEB UI as a reputable university that can compete, advance, and be recognized in Asia and beyond. Congratulations on the 70th Anniversary of FEB UI, Together, Innovating, Advantageous.”
In his presentation, Bambang Brodjonegoro said that the national research and innovation framework focuses on appropriate technology, added value and commercialization, import substitution and increasing the level of domestic components (TKDN), as well as frontline technology.
To deal with Covid-19, there are five groups of research and product innovation consortium programs. First, prevention (medicinal plants, vaccines and supplements, PPE, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, mobile hand washer, ozone chamber, public education). Second, screening and diagnosis (rapid test – early and late detection based on antibody and antigen, RT-PCR test kit, mobile laboratory BSL-2). Third, drugs and therapy (avigan, chloroquine phosphate, quinine pills, tamiflu, ivemercifin, serum from recovered patients, production of serum containing antibodies, mesenchymal stem cells developed by Universitas Indonesia). Fourth, social and humanities (public response towards Covid-19, government readiness to face Covid-19, employment impact). Fifth, medical and supporting equipment (ventilator, one of which is Covent-20 produced by UI, data movement software, geospatial map, drug delivery robot).
According to Bambang, to accelerate vaccine development, there needs to be a triple helix between industry, government and academics. Industry can assist in pre-clinical trials, clinical trials, pilot and industrial scale production, technology transfer, marketing and distribution. Furthermore, the government contributes to vaccine development policies, regulatory agencies, facilitating and accelerating licensing, protecting the use of domestic production, and synergies between Ministries/Institutions. Meanwhile, academics have a role in research and development, down streaming, prototyping, platform, seed vaccine.
Bambang continued to explain that currently, Indonesia is developing a red-and-white (national) vaccine as a form of national progress and independence, on which its development is a result of the work of the nation’s best researchers, one of which is Universitas Indonesia, and based on the virus prevalent in Indonesia. . The collaboration in developing the vaccine, with the cooperation of private pharmaceutical companies (Kalbe Farma, Sanbe Farma, Daewoong Infion, Biotis Prima Agrisindo, and Tempo Scan Pacific), is under the coordination of Bio Farma.
The launch of the Covid-19 consortium’s research and innovation products can be interpreted as a revival of Indonesian innovation. “It is hoped that the products of domestic research and innovation can answer the needs of our society, not only during the pandemic, but also in the long run,” said Bambang closing his presentation.
This Public Lecture was sponsored by PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) and concluded by Dr. Gede Harja Wasistha, CMA., Deputy Dean for Resources, Venture and General Administration FEB UI. (hjtp)
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