LPDP - Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan

Program Overview

The Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan, LPDP) created the Research Collaboration Grant to catalyze ambitious, multi-institution research that delivers measurable benefits for the archipelago. Backed by Indonesia’s sovereign wealth for education, the grant provides up to Rp5 billion in multi-year financing for consortia that advance national priority agendas—food and energy security, health innovation, maritime development, digital transformation, disaster resilience, social inclusion, and cultural preservation. Projects are expected to generate peer-reviewed research, policy-ready recommendations, and scalable solutions that strengthen Indonesia’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.

LPDP positions the program as a bridge between academic excellence and real-world application. Awardees receive not only funding but also access to technical assistance, policy dialogues, and networks that connect research findings to ministries, local governments, and industry champions. Because the grant emphasizes collaboration, teams must design integrated work plans that leverage the strengths of each partner institution while building capacity for early-career researchers across the country.

Why This Grant Matters for Indonesian Research

Indonesia’s National Research Master Plan (Rencana Induk Riset Nasional—RIRN) and the 2020–2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) identify research and innovation as critical levers for sustainable development. Yet many institutions face gaps in funding, equipment, and industry linkage. The LPDP Research Collaboration Grant addresses these challenges by:

• Encouraging cross-sector collaboration between universities, research agencies, startups, and local governments.
• Supporting research infrastructure upgrades in both established centers (Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta) and emerging hubs in eastern Indonesia.
• Prioritizing transdisciplinary projects that integrate social sciences, technology, and indigenous knowledge.
• Providing structured monitoring and evaluation to ensure research outputs translate into policies, products, or community programs.
• Promoting inclusive participation of women scientists, young researchers, and scholars from underrepresented regions.

Funding Structure and Allowable Costs

Grants are typically awarded for three to four-year projects. LPDP disburses funds in tranches linked to milestones and satisfactory reporting. Eligible expenditures include:

• Human Resources: Principal investigators, co-investigators, research assistants, postdoctoral fellows, graduate scholarships, administrative support, and visiting experts.
• Infrastructure and Equipment: Laboratory upgrades, analytical instruments, field sensors, software licenses, and maintenance contracts.
• Fieldwork and Data Collection: Surveys, remote sensing, laboratory testing, community participatory research, and travel to research sites across the archipelago.
• Collaboration Activities: Workshops, joint seminars, stakeholder focus groups, and exchange programs with international partners.
• Dissemination: Journal publication fees, conference participation, policy brief design, multimedia storytelling, and open-access platforms.
• Intellectual Property (IP) Management: Patent filings, licensing consultations, and regulatory submissions for products or services.
• Monitoring and Compliance: Audits, evaluation studies, and contingency funds for risk mitigation.

LPDP expects applicants to secure co-funding or in-kind contributions from partner institutions, local governments, or private sector collaborators. These contributions demonstrate commitment and help scale successful pilots beyond the grant period.

Consortium Eligibility and Governance

The lead applicant must be an Indonesian higher education institution or research agency with appropriate accreditation (minimum “Baik Sekali” or “Unggul”). Consortia may include domestic universities, government research centers (BRIN, LIPI), hospitals, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and private companies. International universities or research institutes can participate if they contribute essential expertise or facilities and commit to knowledge transfer for Indonesian partners.

Governance expectations include:

• Consortium Agreement: A formal document outlining roles, cost-sharing arrangements, publication rights, IP ownership, data-sharing policies, and dispute resolution.
• Project Steering Committee: Senior representatives from each partner who provide strategic oversight and ensure alignment with national priorities.
• Scientific Advisory Board: External experts who review progress, validate methodologies, and advise on international best practices.
• Operational Management Team: Project managers responsible for coordination, reporting, financial management, and stakeholder engagement.

Application Timeline and Submission Requirements

For the 2024 call, complete applications must be submitted via the LPDP e-proposal portal by September 20, 2024. The process entails:

1. Registration: Ensure all partners have active LPDP accounts, institutional approvals, and supporting documentation.
2. Concept Note: Summarize the research challenge, objectives, alignment with national priorities, expected outcomes, and high-level budget. Concept notes help LPDP gauge interest and may lead to feedback before full submission.
3. Full Proposal: Provide detailed research design, methodology, Gantt charts, team credentials, budget tables, risk assessments, and knowledge-translation strategies.
4. Peer Review: LPDP engages subject-matter experts to evaluate scientific merit, feasibility, innovation, and potential impact. Reviewers also assess governance strength and ethical compliance.
5. Clarification and Interview: Shortlisted consortia may be invited to present to a panel that includes LPDP, BRIN, and relevant ministries. Prepare to explain scalability, risk mitigation, and policy relevance.
6. Award Negotiation: Successful applicants finalize budgets, agree on monitoring schedules, and sign cooperative agreements that specify performance indicators and funding tranches.

Designing a High-Impact Research Plan

A competitive proposal demonstrates methodological rigor, stakeholder relevance, and clear pathways to uptake. Consider the following elements:

• Problem Statement and Baseline: Provide evidence-based analysis of the national challenge addressed, referencing government statistics, policy documents, and existing research gaps.
• Objectives and Hypotheses: Articulate specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Clarify the theoretical framework guiding your study.
• Methodology: Describe qualitative and quantitative methods, sampling strategies, data sources, laboratory protocols, and analytical tools. If using emerging technologies (AI, genomics, remote sensing), explain validation procedures.
• Localization and Indigenous Knowledge: Outline how the project respects cultural contexts, integrates local wisdom, and ensures community voices shape research design.
• Capacity Building: Include plans for training workshops, mentorship for early-career scientists, and integration of research findings into university curricula or professional development programs.
• Knowledge Translation: Define products (policy briefs, toolkits, prototypes, digital platforms) and dissemination channels (ministries, regional planning agencies, civil society networks, media).

Budget Planning and Sample Allocation

Adjust the template to incorporate co-funding and ensure compliance with Indonesian government financial regulations, including procurement thresholds and honorarium caps.

Impact Pathways and Alignment with National Goals

To convince reviewers, articulate how research outcomes will drive systemic change. Examples include:

• Producing policy models that inform national strategies on climate adaptation, maritime security, or health resilience.
• Developing prototypes or pilot programs that can be adopted by ministries or scaled with private investment.
• Strengthening local economies through community-based resource management, agritech adoption, or digital entrepreneurship hubs.
• Enhancing Indonesia’s global reputation through high-impact publications, international patents, or participation in multilateral research consortia.

Map expected outcomes to Indonesia’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Roadmap, the RPJMN pillars, and sector-specific master plans such as Making Indonesia 4.0 or the National Energy General Plan (RUEN). Letters of intent from government agencies or industry partners demonstrating commitment to adopt results significantly boost credibility.

Risk Management, Ethics, and Compliance

LPDP demands robust risk and ethics frameworks. Address:

• Scientific Risks: Equipment delays, data quality issues, or methodological uncertainties; include contingency protocols and alternative approaches.
• Operational Risks: Travel restrictions, climate-related hazards, or community resistance; describe mitigation steps and communication plans.
• Financial Risks: Currency fluctuations, procurement delays, or partner cash-flow challenges; propose mitigation such as buffer funds or phased procurement.
• Ethical Considerations: Obtain approvals from institutional review boards (IRBs) or the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) ethics committee for human subjects, animal research, or environmental interventions.
• Data Governance: Outline storage, backup, anonymization, and access protocols. Address open-data commitments and IP management consistent with Indonesian law.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

Establish a performance framework with indicators covering inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact. Examples include number of publications, patents filed, policies influenced, technologies piloted, beneficiaries reached, and training hours delivered. Use digital project management tools to track progress and share dashboards with LPDP monitors.

Reporting requirements typically include:

• Quarterly or semiannual narrative and financial reports.
• Midterm evaluation to assess milestone achievement and recalibrate activities.
• Final comprehensive report, including impact analysis, financial acquittal, and sustainability plan.

Prepare documentation for site visits and audits. Maintaining transparent records will expedite reimbursement and build trust with LPDP oversight teams.

Application Checklist

Before submitting, confirm that your consortium has compiled:

1. Signed cover letter from the lead institution’s rector or director.
2. Executive summary and problem statement aligning with RIRN and RPJMN priorities.
3. Detailed research proposal with methodologies, work breakdown structure, and timeline.
4. Team CVs highlighting publications, patents, field experience, and language skills.
5. Letters of commitment detailing financial or in-kind contributions from each partner.
6. Budget spreadsheet, cash flow forecast, and procurement plan compliant with LPDP guidelines.
7. Risk management matrix, ethics approvals, and data governance policy.
8. Knowledge translation and sustainability plan, including commercialization or policy adoption pathways.
9. Appendices with maps, stakeholder analysis, or baseline data supporting the research case.

Leveraging Support Networks

Prospective applicants should engage early with LPDP, BRIN, and relevant ministries (e.g., Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) to validate research focus areas. Joining national research forums, such as Indonesia’s Science and Technology Index (SINTA) network or the Indonesian Young Academy of Sciences (ALMI), can unlock mentorship and peer review support. International collaboration offices at universities can assist with drafting MOUs, securing visas, and arranging joint workshops. By uniting strong scientific design with inclusive partnership strategies, Indonesian researchers can harness the LPDP Research Collaboration Grant to produce innovations that uplift communities across the archipelago.

Insider Tips to Win Indonesia LPDP Research Collaboration Grant

• Align with LPDP focus areas. Reference Indonesia’s priority research themes, including green economy and digital transformation.
• Balance international partnerships. Show equitable roles between Indonesian and foreign institutions to satisfy collaboration objectives.
• Prepare bilingual deliverables. Plan reports and knowledge products in both Bahasa Indonesia and English for dissemination.