Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has instructed Indonesian universities to mobilize their researchers and lecturers to support the development of a giant sea wall project aimed at protecting the country’s vulnerable northern coastline, a senior minister said on Monday.

Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said academics would be directly involved in accelerating research and improving efficiency in the project, which has become a key pillar of the government’s response to climate change, particularly rising sea levels along Java’s northern coast, known as Pantura.

“Lecturers whose research can support acceleration and improve efficiency in the development of the Giant Sea Wall have been asked to get involved,” Brian said after a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta.

The initiative seeks to tap into existing research conducted by universities, some of which has already been tested and applied in infrastructure projects. Brian pointed to studies used in the construction of coastal protection structures linked to the Demak–Semarang toll road as an example of ready-to-deploy innovation.

“A lot of campus research has already undergone trials, including those successfully implemented in Demak and Semarang. We are being asked to actively participate,” he said.

The giant sea wall project is one of Indonesia’s most ambitious infrastructure plans, designed to mitigate the long-term impact of climate change on densely populated and economically vital coastal regions. According to the government, the project could safeguard around 60% of the country’s industrial zones and protect more than 30 million people living along the North Java coastline.

Brian said his ministry would soon convene leading academics with expertise in coastal engineering, land reclamation and related fields to further refine the project. The discussions will involve coordination with Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, head of the Northern Java Coastal Management Authority.

“In the coming week, we will invite several professors who have the relevant expertise and experience in similar projects, including land creation and reclamation, to meet with the authority overseeing the sea wall development,” Brian said.

Indonesia plans to build a coastal defense stretching roughly 500 kilometers along the northern shoreline of Java, home to more than half of the country’s population, though some estimates suggest the structure could extend beyond 700 kilometers. The project is designed to protect vulnerable communities from tidal floods while safeguarding key economic zones.

With an estimated cost of $80 billion, the megaproject would exceed twice the budget required to build Indonesia’s new capital from scratch, making external financing crucial. The government is pursuing a public-private partnership scheme and actively courting foreign investors.

Prabowo had pitched the project to China in 2025, but Jakarta is widening its outreach. Previous reports have pointed to interest from the Netherlands, known for its expertise in water management, including the 32-kilometer Afsluitdijk dam.

Other potential partners include South Korea, home to the 33.9-kilometer Saemangeum Seawall—one of the world’s largest coastal barriers and Japan, which has significantly reinforced its seawall systems following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

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