From STEM to STEAM: Elevating Indonesia’s Innovation through Creative Industries

Contributor: Lutfi Alzuhri, The University of New South Wales

Editor: Benedict Hanke Kristantoro, The University of Western Australia

From STEM to STEAM: Elevating Indonesia’s Innovation through Creative Industries

Indonesia’s development policies have historically prioritised STEM disciplines to fuel industrialisation and digital advancement. While this strategy has advanced technological and infrastructural progress, it underrepresents the contributions of arts and design to national development. In an era shaped by the fourth industrial revolution, where automation, artificial intelligence, and global connectivity redefine innovation, arts integration into STEM—forming STEAM—is increasingly critical. This article contends that transitioning to a STEAM framework is a national imperative, enabling Indonesia to unlock its creative industries’ full economic, cultural, and global potential.

The Economic Power of the Creative Industry

The creative economy in Indonesia is not only culturally vibrant but economically vital. In 2023, creative industries contributed Rp1,400 trillion (approx. US$92.3 billion) to the national GDP and supported over 24 million jobs (ERIA, 2023; British Chamber Indonesia, 2024). These figures position the creative sector among Indonesia’s top economic contributors. Yet despite this, innovative education and investment remain fragmented and underfunded. STEM continues to dominate curricula, policy, and workforce strategies. According to Bequette and Bequette (2012), integrating the arts fosters interdisciplinary skills such as critical thinking, empathy, and innovation, core competencies needed in the 21st-century job market. A STEAM framework would enhance workforce readiness and scale the creative sector's economic contribution.

Ronny Gani: Creativity and Technology in Global Animation

The career of Indonesian animator Ronny Gani exemplifies how creativity and technology converge to drive innovation. As a senior Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) animator, Gani has worked on The Avengers, Pacific Rim, and Transformers. His expertise in visual storytelling and computer-generated imagery has positioned him as one of Southeast Asia’s most influential creative professionals. Gani's work is not just technical but deeply artistic, requiring narrative insight, cultural literacy, and emotional engagement (The Conversation, 2022). His success illustrates the value of supporting STEAM pathways that allow Indonesians to excel in high-value, globally distributed creative production pipelines.

Ryan Adriandhy and Jumbo: A Local Animation Phenomenon

In 2025, Ryan Adriandhy directed Jumbo, an Indonesian animated film that shattered national records. With over 6.6 million admissions and over USD10 million in box office revenue, Jumbo became the highest-grossing local animation in Southeast Asia, outperforming Disney’s Frozen II in Indonesia (VOI, 2025; SCMP, 2025). The film combined Indonesian humour, folklore, and family narratives with high-quality animation—an achievement requiring both storytelling craft and digital expertise. Jumbo’s success shows how STEAM education can empower local creatives to produce both culturally resonant and commercially successful content. It also demonstrates that with proper infrastructure and support, Indonesian animation can compete globally and significantly contribute to the state budget through film exports, licensing, and IP development.

Rinaldy Yunardi: Fashion as National Branding and Cultural Innovation

Fashion designer Rinaldy Yunardi has managed to transform traditional Indonesian ornamentation into global haute couture. His avant-garde accessories have been worn by international celebrities including Beyoncé, Madonna, and Katy Perry. Yunardi’s work blends batik motifs, metallic structures, and theatrical design, creating wearable art representing Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage on the world stage (AIDIA, 2024). His global visibility enhances Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy and soft power while positioning fashion design as a serious economic sector. Rinaldy’s journey underlines the need for public investment in education, cultural product incubation, and international promotion, all aligned with a STEAM development framework.

Policy Momentum and Institutional Gaps

The Indonesian government has recognised the creative industry through initiatives such as the Creative Economy Agency (BEKRAF), established in 2015 with an annual budget exceeding USD85 million (UNESCO, 2021), and the IDR5 trillion Cultural Endowment Fund (The Jakarta Post, 2024). While commendable, these efforts remain limited in scope and often disconnected from educational reform. A STEAM transition would bridge this gap by embedding design, arts, and cultural production into national innovation strategies. It would also clear pathways for creative professionals to contribute to public sector design, urban planning, and policymaking.

Global Trends and the Future of Work

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, creativity, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and adaptability are among the top skills needed by 2030 (World Economic Forum, 2025). These are not traditionally emphasised in STEM education but are central to arts-based learning. Countries embracing STEAM are better equipped to lead in experience-driven industries like gaming, UX design, digital media, and virtual storytelling. For Indonesia, integrating STEAM will strategically prepare its youth for a rapidly evolving global labour market and stimulate job creation in high-growth creative sectors.

Taking everything into account, Indonesia’s transition from STEM to STEAM is not merely an educational shift—it is a transformative strategy for national development. The global successes of Ronny Gani, Ryan Adriandhy, and Rinaldy Yunardi reflect the untapped potential of Indonesia’s creative talent when provided with the right tools, training, and platforms. These individuals demonstrate that innovation is not just about technological mastery but about human stories, cultural relevance, and creative vision. Indonesia can build an inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive innovation ecosystem by embedding the arts into education, policy, and public sector practices. The creative economy is not a niche, it is the next engine of national progress.

References

AIDIA. (2024). Talenta Kreatif Indonesia: Mengukur Peran Desainer dalam Perekonomian Nasional. https://aidia.id/insight

Bequette, J. W., & Bequette, M. B. (2012). A place for art and design education in the STEM conversation. Art Education, 65(2), 40–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/00043125.2012.11519167

British Chamber Indonesia. (2024). Indonesia’s Creative Economy: A Model for Others Says Minister. https://britchambc.or.id/indonesias-creative-economy-a-model-for-others-says-minister

ERIA. (2023). Rethinking the Growth of Creative Economy in Indonesia. https://www.eria.org/uploads/Rethinking-the-Growth-of-Creative-Economy-in-Indonesia.pdf

SCMP. (2025). Amid ‘Jumbo’ success, can Indonesia become an animation powerhouse? https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3307067/amid-jumbo-success-can-indonesia-become-animation-powerhouse

The Conversation. (2022). Indonesia’s Animators Are Gaining Global Recognition—But They Need More National Support. https://theconversation.com/indonesian-animation-and-the-future-of-creativity-2022

The Jakarta Post. (2024, March 10). Arts practitioners hope cultural endowment fund to be maintained. https://www.thejakartapost.com/culture/2024/03/10/arts-practitioners-hope-cultural-endowment-fund-to-be-maintained.html

UNESCO. (2021). Establishment of the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf). https://www.unesco.org/creativity/en/policy-monitoring-platform/establishment-creative-economy-agency-badan-ekonomi-kreatif-bekraf

VOI. (2025). Jumbo Reaches 5.4 Million Viewers, Becoming The Best-Selling Local Animation in Asia. https://voi.id/en/lifestyle/477034

World Economic Forum. (2025). Future of Jobs Report 2025. https://www.weforum.org/reports/future-of-jobs-report-2025