Gov’t Boosts Research Funding, Encourages Studies on Music and the Brain

Denpasar: The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology is encouraging Indonesian researchers to explore studies on the relationship between music and the brain, an area that remains largely unexplored domestically despite growing global research.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Stella Christie said that while international studies on music and brain function are well established, Indonesia has yet to conduct significant research in this field.

“It is not that research on music and the brain does not exist globally, but in Indonesia, such studies have not yet been conducted,” Christie said during the third Workshop on Music and the Brain in Denpasar on Sunday.

She emphasized that the government has significantly expanded research funding to support new and innovative studies. Research grants increased by 218 percent over the past year, reaching Rp3.2 trillion (approximately US$190 million) in 2025, up from Rp1.4 trillion in 2024.

“In Indonesia, we have capable lecturers. What we do is create a supportive ecosystem and provide funding. That is why research grant funding has increased by 218 percent in just one year,” Christie said, quoted from Antara, Monday 12 January 2026.

She added that lecturers who receive research grants from the ministry are also eligible for additional incentives amounting to 25 percent of the awarded research funds.

Christie noted that research opportunities related to music and the brain are particularly promising in Indonesia, given the country’s rich musical heritage, including gamelan, traditional instruments, and evolving contemporary music forms.

The workshop was organized by the ministry in collaboration with Tsinghua University and the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center, and was held at the United in Diversity (UID) Campus Bali in the Kura Kura Special Economic Zone (KEK) in Serangan, Denpasar.

The event served as a platform for international academics and members of the arts community to exchange insights on the impact of music on brain function and intelligence.