APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata delivered a keynote speech at the 9th Annual Scientific Symposium of Indonesian Collegians in Japan (ASSIGN 2026), held on 23 August 2026 at Okayama University, Japan. Organized by PPI Jepang, an association of Indonesian students in Japan, the event focused on how research contributes to Indonesia’s competitiveness in ASEAN.

APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata delivers his keynote speech on the role of research in accelerating productivity at ASSIGN 2026 in Okayama, Japan.

In his presentation, Dr. Indra highlighted the broader relationship between research and productivity, with particular reference to Indonesia’s ambition to become an advanced economy by 2045. He emphasized that research should be viewed as part of a broader productive system in which knowledge is translated into practical solutions and then adopted and diffused to generate measurable productivity gains.

Drawing on experiences from economies across Asia, Dr. Indra highlighted different approaches to strengthening the links between research, industry, skills, finance, and commercialization. He cited examples of how research can be connected more effectively with technology diffusion, business capabilities, and practical applications, emphasizing that sustained productivity gains depend not only on research investment but also on how effectively knowledge is translated and adopted across the economy.