The Nusantara Capital City is not only rising as Indonesia’s future capital. It is also being shaped as a real-world classroom for sustainable urban development.
The Nusantara Capital City is designed as a living laboratory for research and education in building sustainable cities. This vision is carried out through collaboration between the Nusantara Capital Authority, the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities consortium, and Mulawarman University. The partnership opens direct learning opportunities for young generations at the Auditorium of the IKN Authority City Hall Office in KIPP Nusantara.
The forum, held on Thursday (5/2/2026), followed up on a memorandum of understanding on research in sustainable urban development and landscape-based management. It also marked further exploration of cooperation programs, including capacity building, short courses, internships, and opportunities for IKN Authority personnel to continue their studies in the Netherlands.
Myrna Asnawati Safitri stressed the importance of youth involvement in developing research related to Nusantara.
“The IKN Authority has a cooperation agreement or MoU with the LDE Consortium. One example is today’s activity, where a number of students, especially master’s students from various disciplines, want to develop research on IKN. We are also considering how joint programs can be created for IKN Authority personnel in the future,” she said.
Read also: The Nyabah Palm Is in Danger. Can Bali Save Its Endemic Treasure?
The event also became a platform for IKN Authority staff from various deputy offices, largely made up of young professionals, to present ideas and concepts for Nusantara’s future urban planning. It encouraged direct dialogue and interaction between IKN personnel and academics from Indonesia and the Netherlands.
Prof. dr. ing. Steffen Nijhuis, Head of Research at the Department of Urbanism, Delft University of Technology, representing the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities consortium, described Nusantara as a living laboratory on a global scale.
“We are very pleased to be here because we have been given the opportunity to directly observe the development of this city, including discussing with young generations involved in planning, development, and city management. In my view, Nusantara is like a living laboratory, not only for Indonesia but for the whole world,” he said.
The discussion was also welcomed by Irawan Wijaya Kusuma, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at Mulawarman University. He viewed the forum as a space for knowledge exchange and for strengthening the role of young generations in supporting IKN’s development.
“Every time we have discussions with Ms. Myrna, we always gain new and interesting information. And of course, here in Nusantara Capital City, we also have a responsibility to contribute. In the next five to ten years, that responsibility will shift to the younger generation who will continue the role we are currently carrying out,” he said.
After the discussion session, participants visited several strategic locations within KIPP Nusantara, including the Joint Office Area, the Tropical Rainforest Miniature, and the glamping area. The series of activities concluded with a tree planting at Plaza Bhinneka Tunggal Ika as a symbol of commitment to sustainability and Nusantara’s green legacy.
Through this academic collaboration, the IKN Authority reaffirmed its commitment to building Nusantara as an open learning space that promotes research, innovation, and the leadership of future generations in sustainable urban development.
