Jakarta, March 5 -- Indonesia's Higher Education, Science, and Technology Ministry is urging stronger university and research roles in industrial transformation, stressing that science and technology must align with market needs to accelerate sustainable growth and escape the middle-income trap.

Minister Brian Yuliarto said Thursday that Indonesia must pursue "non-linear progress" by advancing science- and technology-based industries. "Industrialization must not merely proceed as usual, as its potential can grow exponentially," he noted.

He highlighted the "valley of death" challenge-the gap between university research and industrial commercialization-where many innovations fail to reach the market.

Yuliarto emphasized that economic as...