Experience Addressing Collaboration with Foreign Researchers

In a study, sometimes collaboration with foreign researchers is needed. Heru Handika, a graduate student at the University of Melbourne from Indonesia in the field of biology for the past few years, has been heavily involved in research including foreign researchers. The following are the experiences and benefits he gets.

We are often faced with the nightmare of cooperation with foreign researchers.

The doctrine that was delivered often was that foreign researchers came to Indonesia only to exploit us.

Since actively collaborating with foreign researchers, I have been asked many times about these concerns.

First, due to unclear communication at the outset and lack of communication during the study.

Sometimes due to lack of cooperation memorandum before doing research.

Second, it is common knowledge, some of our researchers are lazy, just want a shortcut: the important thing is the name in the publication.

Without much willingness to contribute to his research, both in the implementation and writing of research journals.

Finally the researcher did not know the details of the study. So that the benefits are more obtained by foreign researchers who work with him.

Claims sometimes occur because foreign researchers consider the contribution of Indonesian researchers to their research to be very small. Sometimes it is limited to assisting the administration.

There may be other exceptions. Indonesia also has researchers who are serious about conducting research. My opinion is subjective, without going through comprehensive research.

Only based on observations for five years involved research around various islands in Indonesia. Some of the information I got from the results of discussions with Indonesian researchers, as well as foreign researchers who are active research in Indonesia.

Not just mental workers
This paper is not intended to discuss the causes and causes of theft. Nor is it to blame researchers in their own country. However, the aim is to address cooperation with foreign researchers.

Our mentality is sometimes only mental workers when dealing with foreign researchers. Just to help retrieve data or just for economic gain.

Instead of being a researcher, contribute to the design and conduct of the research itself.

The first time I worked with a foreign researcher I didn’t know anything. However, I seized the opportunity to become a researcher.

I also use them to improve my English skills. I never asked for a salary. What does it mean to pay three million researches over priceless future profits? They see the learning will.

The University of Melbourne is the best university in Australia and top 50 in the world. I never thought to study at this university. Those who invited me.

Because my supervisor did not have a scholarship, I was asked to find a scholarship myself. There are five letters of recommendation from those sent to register for the scholarship.

Four of them I used to convince LPDP scholarship interviewers. Now I am studying at the University of Melbourne on an LPDP scholarship.

In a previous article I have said, I also had the opportunity to visit US museums.

Two of them are the largest museums in the country: the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C ..

The purpose of my visit was to study biodiversity. I took their data, stole animal sample preservation techniques, and museum management concepts to support education.

Half of my visit was paid by foreign researchers and the rest through scholarships.

Heru Handika’s travel activities recorded by Facebook since the last 7 years. More than 90 percent of Heru’s trips shown on the map are research activities, including all trips to the United States and the Philippines.
Heru Handika’s travel activities recorded by Facebook since the last 7 years. More than 90 percent of Heru’s trips shown on the map are research activities, including all trips to the United States and the Philippines. (Photo: Special)

On many research opportunities, the funds used are almost all from foreign researchers. In last year’s international publication with them, I continued to attach institutions in Indonesia (my old campus) as my institution.

Although my status is only a student in Australia and there is no official employment relationship with Indonesian institutions to date.

But, I have strong reasons that my name does not only represent institutions in Australia. His publication of the discovery of a new species of cucurut in Gunung Gede, West Java. So, instead I was impressed to use them.

Can be absorbed
We are still trapped by the nightmare of colonialism. Why are foreign researchers coming to Indonesia actually responded with excessive concern? Why isn’t the doctrine reversed?

When foreign researchers should come to our country, they should think about absorbing their resources and making use of them for our progress.

However we try to cover ourselves up, those who are interested in researching about Indonesia can certainly get it.

Data access is getting easier now. Transportation access is also easier.

If not through us, those foreign researchers get it from other people. While we did not get anything.

In essence, globalization is a reality that cannot be dammed. Access to information is easier, both by coming directly to the source and remotely.

Certainly requires hard work. Shutting yourself down and seeing a stranger as a threat is an expression of laziness.

From I do not know, I can use it to improve my abilities. Some of it is impossible to get if I only rely on domestic resources.

The perspective that I use is from biodiversity research. But, do not rule out the same pattern can be used for other fields. As long as we want to open our eyes and see the wider world as an opportunity.

By changing the mindset, the more benefits we get. We will have many people who are busy doing research, keeping us away from unnecessary horizontal conflicts.

Because in the end we have two choices: to be the perpetrators of globalization or to be the people who are oppressed by it.

Muhammad Veven : 165410064