The achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Indonesia shows a positive trend, with 62.7 percent of the indicators making progress according to a Bappenas evaluation. However, scientific mapping results indicate a wide gap between the direction of academic research and urgent national development needs.
Based on the SDGs Center of Universitas Padjadjaran's analysis of 75,892 scientific articles in highly reputable international journals (Q1), the research focus of Indonesian scientists is concentrated on specific sectors. The health and well-being field ranks highest with 8.74 percent of articles, followed by issues of industry, innovation, and the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems, which have also grown rapidly alongside the government's downstreaming program.
Conversely, studies on crucial social problems are actually very rare. Research themed around sustainable cities and communities accounts for less than one percent. Similarly, studies on gender equality and reducing social inequality only contribute about 0.65 percent and 0.74 percent, respectively, of total publications.
This gap in priorities is driven by an academic incentive system that demands instant international publication. Researchers tend to choose applied science topics that are easily generalized globally to secure journal acceptance, rather than addressing local social issues deemed too contextual by international reviewers.
Additionally, funding schemes from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and relevant ministries have not yet fully targeted these lagging areas. The lack of platforms for cross-disciplinary collaboration also hinders the creation of comprehensive studies on urban planning and social justice, which naturally require a multisectoral approach.
The government and higher education institutions are urged to immediately reform the management of research grants and research performance indicators. Future scientific policy must be directed so that research does not end up merely as academic reports, but rather becomes the basis for formulating solution-oriented policies for society.
