Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has ranked among the top three universities with the highest number of funded proposals in the 2025 Priority Research Downstreaming Program. Based on the results announced by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology on Wednesday (Sep. 17), UGM secured third place with 48 successful research proposals.
“This achievement reaffirms UGM’s commitment to ensuring that research does not remain confined to laboratories, but truly delivers tangible benefits to society,” said Acting Director of Business Development at UGM, Professor Sang Kompiang Wirawan, on Monday (Sep. 22).
The Research Downstreaming Program is designed to accelerate the transformation of research outcomes into innovations that can be adopted by industry while also addressing societal needs.
This year, the government allocated IDR 176.9 billion to support 1,445 proposals across various schemes, including Industry Engagement, Technology Push, and Synergy.
“UGM continues to align its research with national policy directions, particularly in strategic sectors with broad impacts,” explained Professor Wirawan.
Of the total funded proposals, the majority originated from state universities, contributing as much as 81 percent.
Professor Wirawan noted that as a member of the Independent Cluster, UGM has proven its strong and competitive research capacity.
“The strength of UGM’s academic community is evident in its ability to consistently deliver leading research that qualifies for national funding programs,” he emphasized.
In terms of research fields, three priority topics dominated proposals nationwide: electronics and digital technology, food and beverages, and agriculture.
UGM has also actively contributed to these areas through research directed at supporting technological transformation and food security. The alignment of UGM’s research focus with national needs serves as an important foundation for accelerating downstreaming.
Professor Wirawan further highlighted that UGM’s achievement is inseparable from the support of industrial partners, ranging from state-owned enterprises such as PLN, Pindad, Krakatau Steel, KAI, and INKA, to private companies and technology startups.
This collaboration is expected to accelerate product validation, scale-up, and commercialization.
“Synergy with businesses and industries is the key to ensuring UGM’s research can be quickly utilized by society,” he said.
This milestone was also marked by the signing of contracts for the 2025 Priority Research Downstreaming Program, represented by UGM Vice-Rector for Research, Business Development, and Cooperation, Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko.
His presence underscored UGM’s commitment to ensuring that research progresses to the downstream stages of development and commercialization.
With this accomplishment, UGM further solidifies its position as a leading research university consistently producing globally competitive innovations.
Professor Wirawan emphasized that the 2025 Research Downstreaming Program is a momentum for UGM to continue supporting the national development agenda and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“UGM is committed to strengthening its role as a driving force of national innovation for the welfare of the people,” he concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photograph: Directorate of Business Development