UNAIR NEWS 51动漫 (UNAIR), in collaboration with the Directorate of Research and Innovation (DRI), held an innovation-focused seminar as part of the DRI Week 2026 series on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Titled Social Science: Social Innovation, If STEM Has Patents, What Do We Have?, the event took place online via Zoom Meeting.
In his opening remarks, Secretary of the Directorate of Research and Innovation 51动漫, Yanuardi Raharjo SSi MSc PhD, emphasized that innovation is not limited to science and technology (STEM), but also plays a significant role in the social sciences and humanities. He noted that innovation outputs are often associated with patents, while contributions from social humanities have yet to receive equal recognition.
淲e need to strengthen our position in the field of social humanities. If the demand from faculties in this area at UNAIR continues to grow, it will become a strong driving force, he said.
Intellectual property and communal rights
As a speaker, Dr. Andrieansjah ST SH MM, Secretary to the Director General of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Law of the Republic of Indonesia, explained the concept of intellectual property as a foundation for understanding social innovation. He explained that intellectual property is not solely individual, such as patents and trademarks, but can also be communal, as reflected in geographical indications associated with specific communities.
淕eographical indications function as collective branding. For example, Gayo coffee belongs to the community in the Gayo region, he explained.
He further explained that Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are exclusive rights granted by the state to creators. He also described the mechanisms for obtaining IPR, including constitutive and declarative processes, confidentiality, and formal recognition.
In addition, Dr. Andrieansjah highlighted the economic value of intellectual property assets, which can increase over time. He illustrated how a brand can evolve from its initial registration into a high-value asset. He added that social innovation tends to emphasize protection alongside social impact.
淚n social humanities, we are not only concerned with protection, but also with social impact, the legitimacy of local knowledge, and the prevention of misuse by other parties, he stated.
Challenges in managing intellectual property
Despite its potential, several challenges remain in managing intellectual property within the social humanities. These include under-protection, under-utilization, and the tendency for research outputs to remain limited to publications without further implementation in society.
淢any social humanities studies stop at journals or reports and have yet to reach policy implementation or social business models, he noted.
To address these issues, Dr. Andrieansjah proposed a five-pillar policy framework for social innovation. These include the development of specialized intellectual property schemes for social innovation, impact-based licensing models, non-technological downstreaming, integration of intellectual property into public policy, and strengthening protection for communal intellectual property.
He also underscored the importance of involving multiple stakeholders from academics, government, communities, and creative industry players, to build a dynamic social innovation ecosystem. This ensures that innovation extends beyond creation to include protection and sustainable utilization.
The event concluded with the hope that academics will better understand the importance of protecting and utilizing intellectual property in the social humanities, enabling the development of impactful social innovations.
Author: Amelia Farah Putri Iswara
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
