The Week of Indonesia-Netherlands Education and Research (WINNER) is an initiative by the National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN), the Indonesian Academy of Young Scientists (ALMI), the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), the organisation for internationalisation in education (Nuffic Southeast Asia), the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in The Hague, the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (KemendikbudSaintek), The Dutch Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

Celebrating and advancing Indonesia–Netherlands collaboration in research and education

Indonesia and the Netherlands share a long and rich history of collaboration in research and education. WINNER (The Week of Indonesia–Netherlands Education and Research) was established to celebrate, strengthen, and expand these partnerships.

Each year, WINNER invites researchers, educators, policymakers, businesses, NGOs, and societal stakeholders from both countries to come together. It serves as a dynamic platform to present research results, explore ways to deepen collaboration, identify shared priorities, exchange best practices, and build new connections.

A Look Back at WINNER Events

WINNER 2020 – The First Edition

The inaugural WINNER took place online from 24–26 November 2020 under the theme “Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – from knowledge to practice.”
It was officially opened by H.E. Mr. Bambang Brodjonegoro, Indonesian Minister of Research and Technology / Chairman of BRIN, and H.E. Mrs. Ingrid van Engelshoven, Dutch Minister for Education and Culture. The closing talk show featured an interview with H.E. Mr. Nadiem Makarim, Indonesian Minister for Education and Culture.

The programme included sessions on a wide range of topics, such as Health, Biodiversity, Renewable Energy, Water, Culture and Justice, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Education, Partnerships, and Climate Change.

WINNER CAS 2021 – Climate Adaptation Focus

Following the Netherlands-hosted Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS 2021) in January, where Indonesia was an active participant including a speech by President Joko Widodo, WINNER organized a special follow-up event on 10 March 2021.
This event aimed to deepen the dialogue between researchers and policymakers, and to raise awareness among the private sector and the public in support of implementing the Adaptation Action Agenda in Indonesia.

WINNER 2021 – Innovating Together

The second edition of WINNER took place from 26–28 October 2021, under the theme “Innovation for Sustainable Development Goals: Education and Research Collaboration Towards the Future.”

The event was opened by the Indonesian Minister for Education, Culture, Research and Technology, the Head of BRIN, and the Dutch Minister for Education and Culture.
Highlights included:

• A keynote session with young female researchers.
• Discussions on innovating research collaboration to achieve the SDGs.
• Six streams of parallel sessions covering urban–rural dynamics, food systems innovation, water and energy management, public health, knowledge application, and collaboration opportunities with BRIN.
• Dedicated spaces for online networking and matchmaking.

The third day featured sessions on Open Research, Internationalization of Education, Covid-19 and Public Health, and shared ecological challenges. It concluded with a presentation on citizen research and a climate change dialogue focused on health, before closing remarks by the Indonesian and Dutch Ambassadors.

WINNER 2022 – Towards Green, Blue, and Digital Futures

WINNER 2022 was held from 18–20 October 2022 with the overarching theme “Learning and Research Collaboration for Sustainable Green, Blue, and Digital Economies and Societies.”

The hybrid opening hosted by BRIN featured speeches from the Head of BRIN and the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, with contributions invited from both education ministers.
Key programme highlights included:

• Keynotes on the governance of climate change adaptation.
• Sessions exploring new forms of knowledge collaboration and student mobility.
• Five streams of parallel sessions on public health equality, green and blue economies, digital transformation, and pathways for knowledge exchange.
• Poster sessions, networking, and a virtual fair where Indonesian universities engaged prospective Dutch students.

The final day covered reflections on Covid-19, Smart Cities and Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara, and a session by young researchers’ associations. It concluded with a discussion on indigenous knowledge in health and a panel celebrating 25 years of Nuffic in Indonesia, closing with remarks from the Indonesian and Dutch Ambassadors.