TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto urged Indonesia's universities to pay more attention to the revolution of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to enable them to produce more quality STEM graduates.

Indonesia remains left behind in the number of STEM graduates compared to that of China, and the USA, he told participants of the Association of Indonesia's Private Universities (Aptisi) meeting in Bali on Saturday.

China produced around 1.3 million STEM graduates annually while the United States produced some 300 thousand university graduates with STEM degrees, he said at the meeting, according to a press statement that ANTARA received on Sunday.

The number of STEM-related field graduates that Indonesia's public and private universities can produce annually is much lower than that of China, and the USA, he said, adding that Indonesia is also left behind in the mastery of advanced technology.

In 1996, Indonesia had one super computer while China had none. However, the condition then changed tremendously because in 2017, China had had 167 super computers while the United States just had 165, he said.

At present, China has been so advanced in manufacturing computers, semiconductors, communication devices, and medicines, he added.

In response to Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto's remarks, Aptisi Chairman M Budi Djatmiko said many rectors attending the meeting appreciated the minister's insightful thoughts of solving the nation's problems.

The meeting was participated in by members of the Aptisi's central board as well as rectors and student representatives of various privately-owned universities from all over Indonesia.

ANTARA

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