During a plenary cabinet meeting on Monday, Prabowo highlighted that UI has become the first Indonesian university to reach the top 200 of the QS World University Rankings, placing 189th in the latest edition.
"For the first time, the University of Indonesia has entered the top 200 in the QS university ranking. Top 200. However, I request the Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister and deputy ministers to elevate UI into the top 100," the President said.
He expressed confidence that UI’s achievement would encourage other leading Indonesian universities—such as the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), and Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS)—to enhance their global competitiveness.
"(UI’s success) will be followed by ITB, UGM, ITS, and other campuses," Prabowo remarked.
The President also noted that 1,044,174 university students have received Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) scholarship funds to ensure equal access to higher education.
He said the government has increased benefits for teachers while ensuring more direct distribution to prevent delays.
"We send the money directly to the recipients, not through other avenues that may cause delays for days or weeks," he said.
Prabowo further requested that a portion of the Rp13.2 trillion (US$800 million) recovered from a major crude palm oil export corruption case be allocated to the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) scholarship program.
He stated that the government intends to increase LPDP funding through budget efficiency measures and by utilizing funds recovered from corruption cases, including those from the crude palm oil export case.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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