"There are about three million high school graduates who cannot attend university. Private universities are highly needed to expand access to higher education," the ministry's Director of Institutional Affairs Mukhamad Najib said in Surabaya, East Java, on Tuesday.
He explained that the government targets raising the GER for higher education from 32 percent to 38 percent by 2029, making the role of private universities increasingly crucial to accelerating this achievement.
"We also want private universities that are qualified to be able to continuously improve quality and become excellent higher education institutions," he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Private Higher Education Providers (ABPPTSI), Thomas Suyatno, highlighted the major challenges private universities face in becoming excellent or world-class universities.
"The main problem lies in the governance of the Tri Dharma (the three pillars of higher education), especially research," he said.
He explained that many private universities' lecturers prefer teaching because they can immediately receive their pay, whereas doing research does not, adding that the availability of research funding is also still limited.
Suyatno also highlighted a contrasting situation, that while researchers abroad are tasked by companies to conduct research, in Indonesia, it is hard for researchers to find the sites.
Chairman of the 17 Agustus 1945 Higher Education Foundation (YPTA) Surabaya, J. Subekti, said that to address private universities' complaints regarding competition in new student admissions, his foundation organized a discussion forum inviting the ministry and ABPPTSI.
The event was held at 17 Agustus 1945 University of Surabaya, East Java, on Tuesday, titled Transformation of the Governing Bodies and Private Universities Towards Excellent, World-Class Private Universities.
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Translator: Willi Irawan, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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