Jokowi Unsure if Foreign Universities Should Enter Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) requested for the Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Muhammad Nasir to review the plan of allowing foreign universities in Indonesia.

President Jokowi said that he does not want to hastily execute the plan in order to improve the quality of national education. However, he would allow it if that move is needed to make the national education industry competitive.

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“It’s unnecessary if they can change without presenting them to competitors. But we will invite [foreign universities] if the situation doesn’t change,” said Jokowi during the Indonesian Rector Forum annual meeting at Universitas Hasanuddin on Thursday, February 15.

The plan to invite foreign universities was first mentioned by Vice President Jusuf Kalla. He reasoned that it was related to the efficiency of the country's education budget. Indonesia, Kalla said, had spent trillions to fund overseas scholarships.

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The VP argued that by letting foreign universities into Indonesia, the budget used to fund the scholarship can be reduced and that a vast amount of people can feel its benefit.

According to President Jokowi, not every domestic university need to reach a world-class level and it is more important for education institutions to have the same potential to contribute to the society.

Vindry Florentin