Jakarta, July 23, 2026 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf), Irene Umar, discussed potential collaboration with Universitas Nasional (UNAS). The discussion covered research, human resource development, public lectures, as well as the development of a village development model that optimizes creativity, innovation, and intellectual property as drivers of the community’s economy.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, received a delegation from Universitas Nasional (UNAS) at the Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency Office, Jakarta, Thursday (23/7/2026).
“The most important thing is not only to build, but also to ensure sustainability. A successful village is one whose community is willing to preserve, develop, and revitalize its creative ecosystem. Local communities must become the main drivers because they understand the potential of their region best,” said the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy during a meeting at Autograph Tower, Jakarta, Thursday (23/7).
During the meeting, UNAS presented the concept of Community Based Development Plus (CBD+). This approach integrates local identity, innovation, multi-stakeholder collaboration, intellectual property protection, and the commercialization of community-based creative products. The CBD+ model also incorporates mentoring and sustainable financing schemes to ensure that local economic value continues to grow after the program is completed.
The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy viewed this academic approach as having the potential to accelerate the Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency’s Creative Village Activation Program. Research findings and academic studies from universities are considered a strong foundation for policy formulation, generating measurable recommendations tailored to regional potential while ensuring that program implementation is properly targeted.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
Furthermore, the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy emphasized the critical role of Intellectual Property (IP) governance in developing village-based creative economies. According to her, local potential must be managed through schemes that provide tangible economic benefits to the communities that preserve it. This is where UNAS’s academic studies are needed to strengthen models for the sustainable protection and utilization of IP.
Vice Rector for Research, Community Service, and Cooperation of Universitas Nasional, Ernawati Sinaga, stated that UNAS is ready to support the creative economy development agenda through research, innovation, and community service. According to her, UNAS’s academic capacity can contribute to the preparation of studies and program assistance, ensuring that research findings can be directly implemented.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
“We hope that this collaboration will provide benefits for both parties. Universities have academic resources that are ready to support the development of the creative economy through research, innovation, and community service, so that the results can be utilized in various government programs,” said Ernawati.
The meeting opened opportunities for follow-up initiatives, including the preparation of joint studies, the development of creative economy-based village development models, and talent capacity building through collaboration between the Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency and Universitas Nasional. The synergy is expected to strengthen research-based policy formulation while supporting the development of a competitive and sustainable creative economy ecosystem.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
