Yogyakarta, 16 April, 2026 – Vice Minister of Creative Economy/Vice Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, expressed her appreciation for the presence of the Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas (GIK) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) by Paragon as a hub for innovation. GIK UGM has also successfully bridged student research with industry through programs such as Collab Day and facilities like 3D Printing.
Vice Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, expressed her appreciation for the establishment of the Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas (GIK) at Universitas Gadjah Mada by Paragon as a space for innovation in Yogyakarta, Thursday (April 16, 2026).
The Vice Minister noted that the availability of free co-working spaces for students and the public has positioned GIK as a collaborative platform for creative industry players. The government continues to strengthen the campus innovation ecosystem while encouraging the downstreaming of creative works to compete in the global market.
“I believe GIK can become Indonesia’s central hub where cross-subsector collaboration thrives in the spirit of mutual cooperation, enabling CollabHub to produce young innovators accustomed to professional standards from their university years. This collaboration enhances job readiness and business incubation on campus, while ensuring that every inspiration from Yogyakarta translates into real solutions for the creative industry,” said the Vice Minister during her working visit to GIK UGM in Yogyakarta on Thursday (16/4).
Doc. Bureau for Communication Ministry of Creative Economy/ Creative Economy Agency
Following up on discussions held on July 4, 2025, the Vice Minister and GIK UGM management agreed to strengthen synergy to promote the commercialization of local Intellectual Property (IP) through digital innovation. This collaboration will focus on optimizing GIK’s annual programs, particularly Jakal Design Week, scheduled for August 21 – September 5, as a strategic platform for local creators to build a globally competitive creative ecosystem.
“We must transform all creative practitioners into executors of intellectual property that deliver real commercial value, not merely fulfill administrative registration requirements. By strengthening literacy and commercialization of geographical IP, we aim to propel local creative products into international markets with strong legal protection and high market value,” she explained.
Doc. Bureau for Communication Ministry of Creative Economy/ Creative Economy Agency
President Director of GIK UGM, Alfatika Aunuriella Dini, welcomed the government’s support through the Ministry of Creative Economy. She expressed hope that this collaboration would align GIK’s operational steps with the national creative economy development agenda.
“We hope this support goes beyond ceremonial engagement and provides concrete direction so that our collaboration truly addresses cross-sectoral aspects. Considering Yogyakarta’s abundance of talent but limited local financial capacity, we focus on sustainable content incubation in Jakal as a creative ecosystem model that can be replicated anywhere,” she said.
Doc. Bureau for Communication Ministry of Creative Economy/ Creative Economy Agency
The presence of GIK is expected to serve as both an oasis and a unifying hub for creative players across subsectors. Through this space, creative talents are not only encouraged to generate ideas but also to deliver tangible solutions to various challenges at both national and global levels.
During the visit, the Vice Minister was accompanied by Special Staff for Strengthening the Creative Economy Ecosystem and Data, Jago Anggara; Director of Visual Arts and Performing Arts, Dadam Mahdar; and Expert Staff for Regulation and Institutional Affairs, Dahana Esa Putera.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
