Motorcyclists pass by on Thursday (12/10) the Ganesha School of Economics (STIE) campus on Jl. Legoso, Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten, which used to be site of the Suluh Bangsa Teacher Training College (STKIP). Data from the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry shows the status of STKIP Suluh Bangsaas “closed”.
After being determined as not meeting the nation’s higher education standards, 25 privately run universities in several regions found their operational licenses revoked.
The 25 universities are the latest among the 192 private universities whose licenses have been revoked in the last two years. These 25 universities are bankrupt, and as with companies, the bankruptcy clause provided a legal reference.
The initial victims are millions of students – followed by others – physically and materially, but especially psychologically, as they have “become” dropouts. From there follows the second consequence, with the relevant ministry and the universities’ educational foundations needing to provide assistance, depending on the violation that was committed.
It is possible that we are seeing a planned, structured and open revocation of operational licenses in the current era:“planned”, because the process went through the warning stages and a grace period of 6-12 months for improvement;“structured”, because the process was part of efforts to improve the quality and overhaul of higher education; and “open”, because it was publicly announced.
Along with the biennial accreditation program and the university ranking system, we need to support the revocation of these operational licenses. The target to enter the world\'s top 500 universities (currently only three Indonesian universities are listed), or to increase the number of Indonesian universities in the top 100 Asian universities, should drive continuous improvement.
The Tridarma (education, research and community service) philosophy should be a constant reference for universities. Structural realignment should be the basic tool for implementing the Tridarma. Therefore, accreditation criteria and infrastructure improvement are mutually supportive. The revocation of operational licenses is "the final method and option”.
The sharply rising number of private universities illustrates increasing public demand. Of about 4,500 universities in the country, more than 4,000 are private universities. This is merely a number, and does not reflect their quality or their matching employment needs.
The policy has caused negative impacts, including an excessive admiration of graduate degrees, which then have to be obtained by all means, including via praxis education that do not meet requirements and through the sale of bogus diplomas.
Some private universities that should have partnered with state universities are no more than "grocery stores". Therefore, don\'t turn students into victims of the curse: "It’s your own fault. Next time, be more careful."
Renewed mapping of employment needs is necessary, such as the workforce needed, job requirements and how they are produced. There should be cooperation between the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry and other related institutions. What is needed is a consistent policy whose regulations are upheld and, at the same time, are enforced to prevent the appearance of "bogus (private) universities”.
