Research on the Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals-driven Research at Universitas Indonesia

Impactful Research and Innovation for a Universitas Indonesia that Excels in Science, Technology, and Culture

Universitas Indonesia places research at the core of our academic mission, ensuring that knowledge creation directly supports national development priorities. Through this commitment, Universitas Indonesia advances innovative studies that not only strengthen academic excellence but also generate solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing our role in addressing global challenges.

At Universitas Indonesia, research and innovation activities are managed under the Directorate for Research Funding and Ecosystem (DPER) and the Directorate for Innovation and High Impact Research (DIRBT). These directorates encourage multidisciplinary collaboration and foster partnerships with industry, government, and international institutions to ensure that research outputs contribute to both scientific advancement and societal benefit. Outputs from activities operating under DPER and DIRBT include publications, patents, technology transfers, and innovative products that drive sustainable development and global competitiveness.

Facts and Figures

Research at Universitas Indonesia

Researchers

Research Units

Research Outputs

Facilities

Research Projects

Universitas Indonesia’s Top Research Topics

2020 – 2025

31^%

Medicine

15^%

Engineering

14^%

Physics & Astronomy

13^%

Environmental Science

13^%

Social Sciences

12^%

Computer Science

Universitas Indonesia’s Relative Activity Index in SDGs Research

2020 – 2025

Data source: SciVal (November 2025)

Research Centers for Universitas Indonesia’s Net Zero Initiative

Universitas Indonesia’s Institute for Net Zero Initiative (UI NZI) aims to bring together researchers and amplify existing relevant research centers from across Universitas Indonesia to accelerate interdisciplinary innovative solutions to achieve a net-zero world, elevating UI as a center of excellence and leadership in the net zero transition.

UI NZI pursues holistic and interdisciplinary research approaches on net zero emissions through the integration of two priority sectors, reflected in their research center groups: Centre for Excellence in Energy Transition, and Center for Excellence in Conservation and Green Economy. The focuses are chosen based on global climate priority action as well as UI’s academic strength and focus of development. UI considers Conservation and Green Economy as an integral part of energy transition to achieve Paris Agreement targets, acknowledging the alignment efforts from both sectors are essential to address the complex problems of climate change and advancing SDGs.

UI NZI’s main mission is to offer an inter-universities collaboration framework in net zero transition in order to provide access to advanced research facilities, education, and services for both the industry and the government.

Center for Excellence in Energy Transition

The transition to renewable and low carbon energy are central to achieve net-zero emissions in Indonesia where energy demand is quickly rising. This offers an opportunity for cutting edge research on the role renewable and low-carbon technological innovation, energy efficiency of end user sectors, and carbon capture utilization and storage for designing pathways towards net-zero energy systems.

Tropical Renewable Energy Center (TREC)

The Tropical Renewable Energy Center (TREC) is a central organization at the Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia (FT UI). TREC supports the transition towards a sustainable future for energy through serving as the principal platform for national and international cooperation, a center of excellence, as well as a repository of policies, technology, resources and financial knowledge on renewable energy. TREC promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, energy security, and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.

Research clusters at TREC include:

Green Buildings
Circular Economy and
Waste Management
Smart Grids
Materials for Energy
High Voltage
Energy Storage
Biomass Energy
Fluidic Energy
Maritime Energy
Metal Extraction and Surfactants

Research Center for Advanced Vehicle (RCAVe)

The Research Center for Advanced Vehicles (RCAVe) embodies Universitas Indonesia’s commitment to sustainable transport innovation through collaborative research and technological development. Since 2014, RCAVe has advanced expertise in designing, manufacturing, and testing permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) and inverter prototypes for electric vehicles, successfully applying them to city cars and rural EVs in partnership with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and PT Pindad. Building on this, RCAVe aims to develop domestically produced propulsion systems (including motors, inverters, and DC/DC converters) for large electric buses, therefore reducing reliance on imports and increasing local contribution. RCAVe also emphasizes the importance of embedded systems, sensors, and advanced interfaces to ensure EV safety and performance monitoring. This positions Indonesia as an active player in the global EV market while also focusing on the evolving demand for affordable electric vehicles in the country.

Research focuses include:

Mechanical and Driving System
Thermal Management System
Electric Motor and Propulsion System
Intelligent and Autonomous System
Research Battery Charging and Energy Management System
Research Battery System and Materials

Sustainable Energy Systems and Policy (SESP)

The Data Science Center (DSC), operating under LST of the FMIPA, is dedicated to advancing research, development, and business incubation in data science, big data analytics, and advanced computing. With a vision to become a national center of excellence, DSC focuses on creating superior methods and applications that support the Three Pillars (Tri Darma) of Higher Education while contributing to Indonesia’s progress in the era of Industry 4.0.

DSC’s mission encompasses providing certified training, professional programs, and consulting services to enhance human resource capacity, alongside offering data analysis and processing solutions. DSC also fosters collaboration with government, industry, and private sectors to accelerate technological development and utilization. Ultimately, DSC aims to position themselves as a leading hub for data science research and innovation, while nurturing start-up incubation in advanced computing and big data analytics.

Advanced Materials Research Center (AMRC)

Advanced Materials Research Center (AMRC) was established to ensure that research outcomes have broad industrial and scientific applications. Leveraging Indonesia’s rich local mineral resources, AMRC focuses on developing nanostructured materials through wet-chemistry processes, transforming ilmenite and tin into semiconductor oxides such as titanium dioxide and tin oxide in diverse forms like nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanotubes. The center also explores the use of local plantations as reductors and templates for shaping these nanostructures. AMRC’s current projects aim to apply these advanced materials in solar energy harvesting, energy storage, and photocatalysis for pollutant degradation, thereby contributing to sustainable energy solutions and environmental protection.

Research groups include:

Computational Materials Discovery
Functional Polymer Materials
Mesoporous Materials
Nanodevices
Nanonstructured Energy Materials
Photocatalysis

Center for Excellence in Conservation and Green Economy

Conservation is vital to achieving net-zero emissions by protecting ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources while reducing carbon output. Indonesia faces the dual challenge of meeting climate targets and sustaining economic growth, making green economy strategies essential to balance both goals. Through research and policy advocacy, these strategies aim to ensure a sustainable, resource-efficient, and socially inclusive transition to a low-carbon economy.

Research Center for Climate Change (RCCC)

The Research Center for Climate Change (RCCC), established on 17 October 2010, is a leading hub for research and community services focused on climate change. Positioned as a center of excellence, RCCC strives to advance cutting-edge research, strengthen Indonesia’s role in global scientific communities, and support the nation’s vision of becoming an Asia-class university. RCCC’s mission includes improving climate change research and training, fostering collaboration among national and international stakeholders, developing scientific breakthroughs, and transforming research outcomes into actionable policies. Through these efforts, RCCC strengthens Universitas Indonesia’s position as a role model in addressing climate challenges and shaping sustainable solutions.

RCCC’s basic research includes:

Natural sciences: Biodiversity and climate change, gas and chemical related to climate change, regional rainfall and temperature variability.
Anthropogenic sciences: Local wisdom: tradition vs modernity, coastal vs. inland.

While their applied research includes:

Design and understanding technology, settlement design, alternative energy usage, geothermal, solar, and windfall. GIS/ Remote Sensing application, biofuel, food security, and climate change.
Community development: adaptation for farmers, fishers, and coastal communities; community resillience and socio-cultural adaptation.
Economic development: vulnerability areas, population pressure and mitigation, low carbon development, and green economy for subnational.
Public health: pollution and public health, diffusion of endemic areas toward climate change.
Landscape and Seascape: Land use change: economic sustainability vs. environmental sustainability, land use change and REDD, LULUCF, water security and climate change, coastal and marine resilience toward climate change.

Institute of Applied Science (LST)

The Institute of Applied Science (LST), established on December 29, 2017, serves as a forum for research centers and studies within the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) of Universitas Indonesia to advance applied science through integrated research, education, and community service. With a vision to excel as a service institution in knowledge and development, LST collaborates with the government, NGOs, and industry to generate added value. LST’s mission emphasizes applying research outcomes to society, offering consultancy, training, laboratory testing, and certification services, thereby reinforcing the crucial role of higher education institutions in supporting policymakers and private sectors in sustainable development.

LST provides the following services:

Consultancy
Consultancy services available in LST include: Consultation Services in the Field of Identification of Potential Natural Resources, Consultancy Services in Industry Risk Analysis, Consultancy Services in Surveying and Mapping, Consultancy Services in Environmental Impact Analysis, Consultancy Services in Disaster Studies, Services Consultancy in Regional Planning, Consultancy in Mining and Exploration Services, Consultancy in Regional Geothermal Studies, Consultancy in Financial Analysis and Statistics, Consultancy in Insurance Services, Consultancy in Hospital Laboratory Equipment Assessment, Consulting Services in Chemical Analysis and Environmental Risk, Consultancy Services in the Field of Biotechnology Analysis.
Training
Training services available in LST include: Welding Inspector Training Services, Geographic Information System Training Services, Strategic Environmental Assessment Training Services, Rock and Mineral Exploration Software Training Services, Diving Training Services, Actuary Training Services, Solid and Liquid Waste Management Training Services, X-Ray Medical Lab Equipment Training Services, Training Services for Science Olympiad, Regional Planning Training Services, and Basic Lab Equipment Use Training Services.
Certification
In collaboration with the Professional Certification Institute (LSP), LST provides certification for: Welding Inspector Training Services, Geographic Information System Training Services, Diving Training Services, Actuary Training Services, X-Ray Medical Lab Equipment Training Services, and Basic Lab Equipment Use Training Services.
Laboratory Test
Laboratory Testing services provided by LST includes: Chemical Laboratory Test (Biomonitoring, Microbiology, etc.), Material Laboratory Test, and Medical Physics Laboratory Test.

Data Science Center (DSC)

Center for Applied Geography Research (PPGT)

The Center for Applied Geography Research (PPGT) was established in April 1995 as a research institution to carry out their mission to meet the needs of academics and the wider community in seeking answers and making decisions on increasingly complex spatial problems in the human environment, both from a physical and non-physical perspective. And by relying on and following the increasingly rapid development of Geographic Information Systems technology. PPGT has four principles in carrying out their mission, namely:

Developing new applications of the discipline of geography for the purposes of regional analysis to support development planning and environmental management;
Providing a group of experts in the field of spatial science, developing the use and exchange of spatial information and related technology;
Providing spatial experts to support the effectiveness of research and development activities that have a spatial perspective; and
Connecting geographic knowledge and technology with market needs.

The four main services that PPGT provides focus on data collection, geographic education and spatial/regional science activities, spatial analysis consultation and research for development planning and environmental management.

Institute for Economic and Social Research (LPEM)

The Institute for Research on Economics and Society (LPEM), operating under the Faculty of Economics and Business, is Universitas Indonesia’s largest academic research community and has been a leading institution in Indonesia for over 60 years. LPEM plays a vital role in advancing knowledge through research, consultation, and education, contributing significantly to national development and global academic discourse.

Guided by their vision to be a premier research institute in the social and economic fields, LPEM is committed to producing evidence-based policies that benefit society. Their mission emphasizes developing high-quality research and training, leveraging decades of expertise to expand knowledge, and nurturing leaders who champion evidence-based decision-making for both national and international progress.

Research topics include:

Natural Resources and Energy Study (NRES)
Macro, Finance, and
Political Economy (MFPE)
Green Economy and Climate Change Study (GECCS)
Digital Transformation and Behavioral Studies (DTBS)
Global Business Climate and Value Chains Research Group (BC-GLOVE)
Social Engineering and Community Development (SECE)
Social Protection and Employment (SPL) Study
Development Planning and Public Finance Science (DEVPFIN)
Gender and Economic-Social Inclusion (GENESIS)
Transportation, Real Estate and Urban Studies Research Group (TRUST)

Tax Center Universitas Indonesia

The Tax Center at Universitas Indonesia is an educational and research institution dedicated to advancing knowledge and community service in taxation, customs, and excise. It plays a vital role in supporting academic activities while also offering professional training programs, including tax consultant courses, tailored workshops, seminars, and advisory services that strengthen both academic and practical expertise in the field. Guided by their vision to develop expertise that supports policymakers in raising public tax awareness, the Tax Center’s mission focuses on producing impactful research to address global societal changes, implementing effective management strategies, and positioning themselves as a leader in taxation research and consultancy. Through these efforts, they contribute to improving knowledge, shaping policy, and enhancing Indonesia’s capacity in taxation and governance.

Services provided by the Tax Center include:

Research Performing research in taxation and economics topic with our experienced expert both academic and practitioner for scientific and technical purposes.
Training, Workshop and Seminar The FIA UI Tax Center carries out certification training programs, seminars and workshops in the field of taxation with professional instructors from both academics and practitioners.
Tax and Legal Advisory and Consultant Provide suggestion and help client to fulfill and optimize their tax liability.
IT Tax Administration Help client to automize their Tax Administration System