Yogyakarta, 19 February 2026 – The Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP) and the Pimpinan Pusat Muhammadiyah (PP Muhammadiyah) have officially launched a strategic joint research funding collaboration titled RISPRO Invitasi Berkemajuan.

The program is supported by a total funding commitment of IDR 20 billion through a pooling fund scheme, with equal contributions of IDR 10 billion each from LPDP and Muhammadiyah.

The partnership was formalized through the signing ceremony of the “Research Funding Agreement and Capacity Building Activities for RISPRO Invitasi Berkemajuan Beneficiaries,” held at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta on Thursday afternoon (19/2).

The pooling fund scheme is a funding mechanism that aggregates financial contributions from multiple sources—such as private entities, donors, or philanthropic organizations—into a shared fund to support structured and sustainable research and innovation initiatives.

Through its Higher Education, Research, and Development Council (Diktilitbang), PP Muhammadiyah becomes the first civil society organization to enter into this collaborative research funding scheme with LPDP. This initiative is expected to encourage other community-based organizations to join similar joint research funding collaborations with LPDP.

LPDP Director of Research Facilitation, Ayom Widipaminto, stated that LPDP continues to promote research funding from alternative sources, particularly through philanthropic institutions and other organizations. This approach is considered strategic in enhancing Indonesia’s global competitiveness, as measured by the Global Innovation Index (GII) in the field of research.

“We hope that efforts to mobilize targeted ecosystems such as Muhammadiyah and other strategic industries will truly drive impact and ensure that research outputs are implemented and utilized effectively,” Ayom remarked.

The event also marked the official commencement of 26 selected research proposals funded under the joint scheme between LPDP and Diktilitbang Muhammadiyah. The proposals, submitted by various universities, are specifically designed to generate appropriate technologies and downstream products that will be directly implemented through the extensive network of Muhammadiyah’s charitable enterprises (Amal Usaha Muhammadiyah/AUM).

The research outcomes are expected to strengthen the AUM ecosystem across Indonesia, spanning educational institutions, healthcare services in Muhammadiyah hospitals, and capacity-building programs for assisted farmer groups.

“With more than 160 universities and hundreds of hospitals, Muhammadiyah’s ecosystem serves as an ideal ‘living laboratory’ for sandboxing processes. This joint funding ensures that research outputs are genuinely downstreamed, implemented, and deliver tangible benefits to the public through Muhammadiyah’s charitable enterprises,” Ayom added.

Rigorous Selection Produces 26 Outstanding Proposals

Following a rigorous selection process conducted from September to December 2025, 26 proposals from 13 universities were recommended for funding. Although initiated in collaboration with Muhammadiyah, the program is inclusive and involves universities beyond the Muhammadiyah network, including Universitas Indonesia and Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, among others.

The funded research focuses on five strategic themes:

• Food Security and Agriculture

• Energy Transition, Materials, and Manufacturing

• Health

• Engineering and Digital Technology

• Social Sciences, Green & Blue Economy, and Humanities

Through the development of appropriate technologies, downstream commercialization of research outputs, and international publications, the scheme is expected to enhance productivity, strengthen national technological self-reliance in key sectors, and boost Indonesia’s global competitiveness—supporting the vision of achieving Golden Indonesia 2045.

Chair of Diktilitbang PP Muhammadiyah, Bambang Setiaji, emphasized the importance of moral integrity and broad societal impact in the program’s implementation. He expressed hope that the collaboration would extend beyond funding figures and deliver tangible benefits to communities.

“This collaboration must be upheld with full integrity to preserve public trust and the mandate of research. We hope the research projects carried out under this program will deliver real impact—not only for the Muhammadiyah ecosystem but also for the advancement of Indonesia,” Bambang Setiaji stated.

The initiative is expected to serve as a best practice model for collaborative research funding, including funding from non-state budget (non-APBN) sources, to help achieve the national target of at least 1% of GDP allocated to R&D expenditure—currently still at approximately 0.24% to 0.28%. Cross-sector collaboration in research also reflects a concrete commitment to accelerating Indonesia’s transformation toward an innovation-driven economy.

In addition to the tripartite contract signing ceremony, researchers received intensive briefings on fund disbursement policies, reporting procedures, as well as monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. These measures aim to ensure that each research project is implemented transparently, accountably, and completed on schedule.