Speaking at the Indonesia Economic Outlook 2026 in Jakarta on Friday, he warned that bureaucrats who are unwilling to improve themselves will be replaced by the top-tier talent produced by the institution.
"We are preparing them to take over the leadership of all high-performing institutions. There is nobody that cannot be replaced," he stressed.
On that occasion, Prabowo also granted full authority to the heads of Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund Danantara, the State-Owned Enterprise Regulatory Agency, the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform, and all other ministries and agencies to replace any officials who fail to meet their targets.
Regarding the development of the new universities, the president has revealed this plan on several occasions, including during his recent visit to the United Kingdom (UK) to explore collaborations with top-tier British universities for the development of these new institutions.
Selected students admitted to the 10 new universities will receive full government scholarships.
President Prabowo noted that these universities will recruit international faculty and aim to begin student admissions in 2028.
Beyond administration, the curriculum will prioritize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and medicine.
This stems from his assessment that Indonesia still faces a shortage of STEM experts and doctors, particularly specialists and sub-specialists.
According to the Ministry of Health, Indonesia is currently only capable of producing about 2,700 medical specialists per year, far below the ideal requirement of 32,000 per year.
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Translator: Genta T, Andi F, Raka Adji
Editor: Arie Novarina
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