"There are only 54 universities with an A accreditation from the total of 4,530 universities in the country. If the target of RPJMN is achieved, I wish to see 75 universities get an A accreditation," Mohamad Nasir said.
Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Ministry of Research and Technology has set a target for 75 Indonesian universities to obtain A accreditation, as part of the National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2015-2019.

"There are only 54 universities with an A accreditation from the total of 4,530 universities in the country. If the target of RPJMN is achieved, I wish to see 75 universities get an A accreditation," Research and Technology Minister Mohamad Nasir said during the National Technology Revival Day (Harteknas) in Makassar on Wednesday.

The target is set to bring Indonesian universities into the worlds top 500 in 2019.

In 2018, University of Indonesia and Bandung Institute of Technology are expected to enter the top 250, while Universitas Gadjah Mada is predicted to be included in the top 300.

Meanwhile, Bogor Institute of Agriculture and Airlangga University are longing to be part of the top 500.

To achieve such ambitious target, Nasir has instructed the ministrys Director General of Learning and Student Affairs (Belmawa) to continue assisting universities to improve their accreditation.

"I hope the rectors and vice chancellors also participate in this effort as we want to increase the national competitive index by obtaining international accreditation for the universities study programs," he noted.

The cooperation between Directorate General of Learning and Student Affairs and international accreditation agencies is also important as an effort to promote Indonesian universities in the international stage.

Requirements to gain international accreditation should also be fulfilled, including increasing the mobility of lecturers and building collaboration between national universities and international professors.

"We need to improve our regulations, so that they (the professor) can stay at least one or two years to improve education in the country. We want our children to not only graduate from universities but also be absorbed by the domestic and foreign markets," Nasir explained.

Currently, only five universities in Indonesia have international accredited study programs.

Therefore, the Directorate General of Learning and Student Affairs holds international seminar and workshop with foreign accreditation agencies as part of the "Harteknas" to promote the importance of having international accredited program to both state and private universities.

International Seminar and Workshop on Strengthening the Outcomes-Based Internal Quality Assurance System brings together a number of international speakers working in the accreditation system such as Manager Quality Assurance Strategy at The New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA) Prof Eve McMahon, Professor Karen Treloar from Australian University Quality Agency (AUQA), Professor Lyn Karstadt from Murdoch University, Dr Jhonson Ong Che Bin from the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA), and Professor Dr Raymund Sison from De La Salle University, Philippines. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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