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Professor Jagadish began with high praise for Indonesia’s leadership, noting that with President Prabowo’s firm belief in science and technology, “half of your problem is solved already.” He admired the vision of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) and the leadership of Minister Brian Yuliarto, stating the the level of alignment between the government and the scientific community is a testament to Indonesia’s ambition to energise its national research system. He also praised the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) for its holistic approach that extends beyond STEM to encompass the humanities and social sciences.

Highlighting the vibrant relationship between the two nations, he spoke of the potential and ambition of the Indonesian Young Academy (ALMI), noting that “the next generation is not only the future of science but the future of society”.

Drawing from his experience leading Australia’s premier science body, Professor Jagadish outlined his vision for a robust, interconnected ecosystem linking research, industry, and government. He shared Australia’s recent development of five new national science and research priorities, which include transitioning to a net-zero future and building a secure and resilient nation.

He detailed a recommendation from the Australian Academy of Science for a new national model to coordinate research and development (R&D). This model would unify national funding through a single system, utilize co-investment partnerships for areas of national importance, and connect various research agencies in a collaborative forum. This, he suggested, could be a model for Indonesia to learn from to streamline efforts, avoid duplication, and create continuity between discovery and application.

Professor Jagadish emphasized that a healthy ecosystem depends on a secure "pipeline of talent." He noted a key challenge shared by many nations, including Australia, is the need to train more domestic students in fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to build sovereign capability. In this light, he praised Indonesia’s recent initiative to enhance STEM and AI literacy among its youth. Nurturing this pipeline, he said, requires a focus on three key actions:

1. Train the experts needed for the future.

2. Attract top domestic and international talent.

3. Retain researchers by providing supportive career pathways and positive work environments.

He also addressed the critical challenge of measuring research impact, citing a new paper from the KONEKSI knowledge partnership platform. He warned that relying solely on Return on Investment (ROI) can be misleading, as it fails to capture long-term benefits like improved public health or environmental sustainability. He advocated for more holistic indicators, such as human capital development, collaboration density, and societal outcomes, to better guide strategic investment.

In his concluding remarks, Professor Jagadish underlined that international collaborations are vital. He issued a direct invitation to the Indonesian scientific community to participate in a new initiative called “Seeds of Science Asia”. This program, hosted by the Australian Academy of Science, offers grants designed to strengthen the science-policy interface across the region.

"The goal of Seeds of Science Asia is simple but powerful: to support evidence-informed, adaptive, and forward-looking governance throughout our region," he stated, encouraging Indonesian researchers to apply and share the opportunity within their networks.

Professor Jagadish's address served as a powerful affirmation of the strong Australia-Indonesia partnership, providing a forward-looking blueprint for building a resilient and impactful scientific ecosystem for the benefit of both nations and the wider region.