IKN Nusantara Invites Maryland University for Policy Research

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: The IKN Nusantara Authority (OIKN) has extended an invitation to the University of Maryland from the United States to undertake policy research in the emerging new capital city, IKN Nusantara, situated in East Kalimantan.

Professor Mohammed Ali Berawi, Deputy for Green and Digital Transformation at OIKN, expressed the ambitious vision of IKN for a Golden Indonesia by 2045 and emphasized the establishment of a lasting legacy. The collaboration with the University of Maryland aims to conduct research in key areas, including the energy, food, and transportation cluster; social-humanities; environmental conservation; as well as technology and informatics.

Representatives from Maryland University, including Research Professor and Head of Environment/Climate/Energy/Sustainability Focus, Professor Thomas Hilde, along with research assistants Grace Pettey and Matthew Regan, and 20 masters and doctoral postgraduate students from various disciplines, were welcomed at the OIKN office in Jakarta.

This collaborative effort not only signifies a partnership in academic research but also reaffirms IKN’s role as a living lab for innovative solutions.

Professor Berawi outlined the objectives of the research activity, emphasizing support for the University of Maryland in studying the development of a smart forest city at IKN. The focus includes public policy aspects, IKN’s principles, achievements in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Regionally and Locally Determined Contribution (RLDC), and IKN’s initiatives in biodiversity conservation.

During the visit, Professor Hilde expressed openness to potential collaborations, acknowledging the uniqueness of the concept of a smart forest city in the development of capital cities. He stated, “We are open to all potential collaborations and roles that we can fill in developing IKN Nusantara.”

The occasion also shed light on IKN’s plans and developments, particularly in the realm of smart cities, along with the announcement of the world’s first Smart Building and Smart City Building Guidebook.

The University of Maryland School of Public Policy’s visit to the OIKN office represents one of several collaboration initiatives between the authority and domestic as well as foreign universities. As an urban living lab, IKN Nusantara actively encourages the participation of universities and the research community to contribute to its vision of becoming the most sustainable city in the world.