Program 4: Scientific Authorship Training for Practical Research: Collaboration in Accelerating Regional Development

1. Introduction

In West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), thousands of studies (theses, theses, dissertations, and lecturer research) are produced every year by universities and research solutions. However, there is a significant gap between the quantity of research and its impact on regional solutions. Many studies stop as a condition for graduation or promotion, without providing  practical outputs that can be used by local governments (Pemda) or Solusiyt.

The main problem often lies in two things: (1) Research methodologies that are not sharp in answering real problems in the field, and (2) Weak dissemination (scientific authorship), so that research findings are not readable or communicated well to stakeholders.

Responding to this challenge, the Sino International Research and Development Foundation, through the pillars of “Research Consultant” and “Workshop”, initiated this training program. We aim to position Solutions as a catalyst that connects academics (students, young researchers) with the real needs of the government and Solutions, to produce Solution-oriented research.

2. Program Objectives

General Objective: To improve the quality and relevance of research in NTB in order to be able to produce  practical outputs that contribute directly to regional progress.

Special Purpose:

1. Improve practical research methodology skills (applied research) for students and young researchers.
2. Strengthen the capacity of scientific authorship (journals, policy briefs, popular articles) so that research results are easy to understand and implement.
3. Changing the paradigm of researchers from “ivory towers” to “problem solver“.
4. Creating  a practical research database that can be accessed by the NTB Regional Government as a basis for evidence-based policymaking.

3. Justification & Need

This program is based on the existence of a “Research-Practice Gap” in NTB:

1. Government Side: Local Governments (Bappeda, BRIDA, Dinas) urgently need quality data and analysis to design poverty alleviation programs (KLU data), smart farming development  (Program 1), or digitization of MSMEs (Program 2). However, they have difficulty accessing relevant research.
2. Academic Side (University): Young students and researchers often find it difficult to find research topics that are “grounded” and novelty. They are also hampered by the lack of advanced methodological training and authorship of international journals.
3. Foundation’s Role: The Sino R&D Foundation will act as a hub that brings together the “problem needs” of the government with the “research talents” of the university.

4. Program Mechanism through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration

The program is designed as a  collaborative platform orchestrated by the Foundation.

Table 7. Collaboration Mechanisms and Partner Roles

Program Phase	Main Activities	Foundation Role (Sino R&D)	University Role	Government & Research Institution Role (Pemda/BRIDA/BPTP)
Phase 1: Problem Identification (Ideation)	Research Problem Pitching	Collect list of regional priority problems from local government.	Encourage students/researchers to choose topics from list.	Provide real data and priority research needs.
Phase 2: Intensive Workshop Training	Practical Methodology & Academic Writing Workshops	Organize workshops with international experts.	Provide participants (students, lecturers).	Send researchers/policy analysts as participants/mentors.
Phase 3: Mentoring (Coaching)	Methodology Clinic & Writing Coaching	Assign expert research consultants as mentors.	Collaborate with Foundation mentors.	Guide practical direction to keep research on track.
Phase 4: Dissemination (Output)	Publication & Presentation of Results	Facilitate publication and policy briefs.	Produce high-quality theses/journals.	Receive policy briefs for planning and decision-making.

5. Impact Projection & Output

The focus of this program is practical output. Success is not measured by the amount of research, but by the breadth of the research.

Table 8. Program Impact Projection Table

Time Frame	Program Outputs	Expected Impacts
Short-Term (Year 1)	100+ trained young researchers; 20+ draft academic papers; 5 policy briefs for local gov.	Higher quality methodologies in university research; increased writing confidence.
Medium-Term (Years 2–3)	More citations & publications; NTB applied research database; ≥ 1 policy based on brief.	Collaborative research ecosystem formed; universities view local gov as real research laboratory.
Long-Term (Years 4–5)	NTB recognized as Eastern Indonesia applied research reference; database becomes policy asset.	Evidence-based policy culture adopted by NTB government; social issues reduced systemically.