Indonesia and the Netherlands Strengthen Research and Innovation through WINNER 2026

Jakarta: The Week of Indonesia–Netherlands Education and Research (WINNER) 2026 conference, held in a hybrid format from 6-8 October 2026 in Jakarta and Amsterdam, officially concluded.

Now in its seventh edition, the conference underscored the importance of cross-border partnerships in transforming knowledge and research findings into practical solutions for society.

On the first day, more than 100 participants from academia, professional sectors, and policymaking institutions in Indonesia and the Netherlands attended the Opening Ceremony in person at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) building in Jakarta.

Distinguished attendees included Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Marc Gerritsen, Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Prof. Arif Satria, and Director General of Science and Technology at Kemdiktisaintek Ahmad Najib Burhani.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, delivered his opening remarks virtually.

“I hope WINNER 2026 will open new opportunities, generate new ideas, and build stronger connections between our people and institutions. Let's make this partnership not only stronger but more impactful, turning knowledge into solutions, collaborations into innovations and innovation into progress for our societies,” Brian said as quoted from ministry statement, Saturday, October 10, 2026.

Meanwhile, Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Rianne Monique Letschert announced the Dutch government’s plans to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia on cooperation in higher education, research, and science.

“And for many years, this conference has brought Dutch and Indonesian researchers, educators, and policy advisers together, sharing their knowledge and developing new initiatives. That’s also why we plan to renew the memorandum of understanding on our collaboration in higher education, research, and science because that collaboration is all about. And we work together, we all win,” Rianne said.

Rianne emphasized that renewing the cooperation framework would help strengthen Indonesia-Netherlands collaboration in addressing increasingly transnational challenges.

On the same occasion, Head of BRIN Prof. Arif Satria outlined four pillars for building a strong innovation ecosystem. He explained that addressing rapid technological developments, economic transformation, climate change, and global challenges requires four key elements: human capital development, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration, translating knowledge into innovation, and sustainability and inclusion.

Eighteen Thematic Sessions Explore Innovation and Sustainability

On the second day, more than 120 participants attended the event in person at Trisakti University, while others joined the sessions online from Indonesia and the Netherlands. The programme featured 18 thematic sessions across five discussion streams, covering Digital and AI; Education, Research, and Innovation; Human Capital and Education; and two Sustainability streams.

Various Indonesia-Netherlands initiatives and collaborative topics were discussed, ranging from blue economy research, Green Batik, and the use of QGIS to Nusantara digital twins, sanitation education, and research infrastructure. These discussions provided opportunities for academics, researchers, and institutions from both countries to exchange experiences and explore further avenues for cooperation.

The NL Knowledge House Think Tank brought together 15 participants from the Netherlands and 70 from Indonesia to encourage the exchange of perspectives among experts and stakeholders. The forum served as a platform for connecting shared ideas and interests with more concrete opportunities for collaboration.

Discussions on human capital development also highlighted the need to prepare people for changes in the world of work, including by strengthening digital and AI skills and promoting lifelong learning.

DUTEP and INS Thesis Prize Mark the Closing Day

The third day of the conference took place at Indonesia House Amsterdam. The programme included remarks by the Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, a panel discussion titled “Sustaining Indonesia-Netherlands Collaboration for Competitive, Resilient Societies,” a presentation on the outcomes of the Dutch Training and Exposure Programme (DUTEP), and the INS Thesis Prize 2026 awards ceremony.

During the DUTEP session, the Jakarta-Rotterdam cooperation programme on water management and climate change adaptation was highlighted as an example of knowledge exchange that can support capacity building and the exploration of solutions to urban challenges.

Meanwhile, the INS Thesis Prize recognised academic research and helped strengthen connections between researchers and institutions in Indonesia and the Netherlands.


Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung.


In his closing remarks, Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung emphasized the importance of sustaining the partnership between the two countries. He noted that WINNER’s impact should not be measured solely by the number of sessions or participants, but also by the partnerships established, knowledge shared, and ideas that continue to develop long after the programme ends.

“The impact of WINNER is not measured by the number of sessions of participant alone, it is measured by the partnerships, it helps forge the knowledge, it enable us to share and the ideas that continue to grow long after the program ends as we conclude this 7th edition our task is to carry those connections forward and to make their benefits more visible, more inclusive and more lasting,” Ambassador Jinangkung said.

The spirit of Indonesia-Netherlands collaboration is also reflected in achievements beyond academia. In his closing remarks at WINNER 2026, Aulia Iskandarsyah, Education Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in The Hague, highlighted Indonesia’s national football team victory at the 2026 ASEAN FIFA Cup after a 35-year wait.

“We have seen, too, how collaboration can help make the seemingly impossible possible. In football, Indonesia’s national team victory in the 2026 ASEAN FIFA Cup, after a 35-year wait, offers an inspiring example of what persistence, shared purpose and effective cooperation by Indonesia and the Netherlands can achieve.”

“The same spirit applies to our work in education, research and innovation. We should be ambitious enough to imagine what we have not yet achieved and committed enough to work together until it becomes real,” Aulia said.