Indonesia, Australia Sign MoU To Develop Research, Technology

JAKARTA, Nov 23 (Antara) - The Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education and the Australian Commonwealth and Scientific Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of research and technology. "We want to benefit from Australian know-how and build an equal partnership with them through collaboration to learn best practices and conduct joint projects," Director General of Innovation Strengthening at the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry Jumain Appe said in a written statement released Tuesday. Through the cooperation with CSIRO, he expressed the hope that Indonesia could develop its capacity to strengthen innovations as part of the effort to address a wide range of development challenges. The MoU covers collaboration to carry out projects and programs to promote research and business partnerships in the public and private sectors, and to contribute to debates and facts for policy makers, he said. Australia is currently in the forefront of global innovation, Jumain said. Besides the MoU, both sides also signed an agreement on Applied Research and Innovation Systems in Agriculture (ARISA), a program implemented by CSIRO, along with the Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry.