Jakarta, Nov. 24 -- The Indonesian government has called on universities to deliver concrete contributions to national economic growth by strengthening research and innovation.

Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said Indonesia cannot become a developed nation if it continues relying on the extractive sector.

"Achieving sustainable growth requires advancing research-based industrialization, and the best research comes from campuses," he said in Jakarta on Monday.

He noted that links between university quality and economic performance are widely recognized. He cited China and Malaysia as examples, both with high GDP per capita and strong global university rankings.

Indonesia, he said, currently has only on...