Jakarta, May 7 -- Indonesian Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto is optimistic that research collaboration between universities in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia will be implemented this year.

"We hope it can run this year," Minister Yuliarto stated after his meeting with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, ASEAN, and Timor-Leste, Faisal Abdullah H. Amodi, at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia here on Tuesday (June 5).

He expressed optimism that cooperation would be carried out this year, noting that previous collaborations between universities in both countries had been conducted independently.

"By working together, we can consolidate (efforts), so that it can run in a more structured manner, ...