Indonesia's Fauzan Calls for University Consortia to Aid Regional Development

Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Fauzan, urged universities across the country to form consortia that can jointly address regional development challenges. He highlighted the provinces of Riau and the Riau Islands, noting their strong economic growth but also significant issues such as unemployment, regional poverty gaps, and rising stunting rates. Fauzan argued that a single university cannot solve these problems alone and that pooling expertise, programs, resources, and facilities through a consortium would create an ecosystem to advance higher education while contributing to local development.

The minister emphasized the need for universities to continuously evaluate their societal impact and to direct their capacities toward real community challenges, aiming to turn economic growth into broader job creation and improved human development outcomes.