Conducting Research in Indonesia
These guidelines are for Cornell affiliates who need an LOA or MOA/MOU to support an application for a foreign research permit to conduct research in Indonesia—including Fulbright and Fulbright-Hays.
For Cornell faculty, post-docs, researchers, and other affiliates to obtain a research permit in Indonesia, the Indonesian government and/or Indonesian host institutions may require Cornell affiliates to arrange a Letter of Agreement (LOA) or Memorandum of Agreement/Understanding (MOA/MOU) to be executed between Cornell and the overseas host institution. Cornell can only support a researcher-specific LOA/MOA/MOU in cases where a required research permit would be withheld unless and until a Cornell-executed LOA/MOA/MOU is produced.
In our experience, the two types of agreements generally accepted by the Indonesian government and host institutions are:
- a general MOA/MOU executed by the dean of the Cornell researcher's college/school and the host university's leadership.
- a researcher-specific Memorandum of Agreement to Host a Visiting Research Fellow that is executed by the Cornell researcher, the dean of the Cornell college/school, and the host university's leadership.
Please note that if there is no preexisting agreement between Cornell and the host institution, the three-party Memorandum of Agreement to Host a Visiting Research Fellow is the preferred type of agreement.
Steps for the Cornell Researcher
- Visit Cornell's MOA database (Cornell NetID required) to determine if the university already has a general MOA. If so, request a copy from your unit's contract administrator and share the document with your prospective host institution to determine if it is acceptable documentation to receive your research permit.
- If Cornell does not already have an MOA with the host institution, or the existing MOA is not accepted as a suitable agreement for your situation, you need to determine what type of agreement your host institution requires.
- Reach out to your unit's contract administrator for assistance in obtaining a suitable template. Global Operations partners with the Office of General Counsel to make a variety of contract templates available to help document these types of relationships. If a general MOA/MOU between Cornell and the host institution is required, the agreement will be between your college/school and the host institution. University-level MOA/MOU are atypical, although exceptions are made with the Office of Vice Provost for International Affairs approval.
- Using a Cornell template, the Cornell researcher (or their admin support, if available) is responsible for a) completing the provided template to ensure it reflects the nature of their research; b) working directly with the host institution to finalize the agreement terms; and c) communicating with the unit's contract administrator who works directly with the Office of General Counsel to have each iteration of the contract reviewed and ultimately receive final approval.
- All agreements must be executed by Cornell's authorized signatory, which is typically the dean of the college/school.
Other Considerations
Are you sending or bringing research specimens to Indonesia?
- To send or bring research samples or specimens to Indonesia, you must submit a Materials Transfer Agreement (MTA) with your research permit application. Contact the Center for Technology Licensing for assistance with necessary MTAs (as applicable).
- Export Controls' guidance may apply to certain shipments.
- Depending on the circumstances, these agreements can be complex and may require review by several internal offices. Please allow a minimum of two months to finalize the necessary agreements, in addition to the processing time required by the Ministry of Research and Technology/National Agency for Research and Innovation (RISTEK/BRIN), to review and issue the permit. Read detailed guidance concerning Indonesia's research permit application process.