Indonesia to train next ruling class at elite new university
On what was once a palm oil plantation outside Bogor, Indonesia’s government is planting the seeds of a new institution designed to nurture the next generation of leaders. But President Prabowo Subianto’s ambitions for the University of the Republic of Indonesia (URI) do not stop at statecraft – officials have also billed it as the answer to the Southeast Asian nation’s shortage of technological…
On a former palm oil plantation outside Bogor, Indonesia’s government is constructing an elite new university, the University of the Republic of Indonesia (URI), to cultivate future leaders. President Prabowo Subianto envisions the institution as the solution to the nation’s shortage of skilled workers, including scientists, engineers and civil servants.
Aris Marsudiyanto, head of the government agency responsible for oversight, stated that while Indonesia possesses abundant natural resources, the country is still technologically behind. The URI, set to be led by a governor, launched on July 22 with Donny Ermawan Taufanto, a retired air marshal and former deputy defense minister, swearing in as its first leader.
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi cited examples from other countries, such as France’s National School of Administration, which has educated former presidents Francois Hollande and Jacques Chirac. The URI’s core focus initially will be on civil service training and executive leadership for state enterprises, but officials also see potential for expanding into technology education.
The World Health Organization recommends one doctor per 1,000 people, but Indonesia falls short with fewer than one per 2,100 in urban areas. The government has not disclosed the URI’s budget, but Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa suggested funding could come from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology. The Bogor campus will be the first of 10 planned universities, with existing institutions like the State Administration Institute potentially being absorbed into the project.
Education officials have stressed that the multi-campus expansion remains under review. Critics argue that building a state-funded university from scratch is unnecessary at a time when existing institutions are under financial strain and student enrolments are declining. Sociologist Jannus Siahaan expressed concern over the URI’s dual mandate, suggesting its identity is unclear.
He noted that STEM education requires a long-term research ecosystem and academic autonomy, while French-style schools typically focus on administrative elite formation. If properly implemented, the URI could become a flagship institution, accelerating talent development in strategic sectors or serving as a policy laboratory to integrate education, research, and national needs.
However, questions remain about whether the URI will receive sufficient resources, academic autonomy, and global recruitment standards. Indonesia already has over 4,300 higher education institutions, but underfunded research, lack of scholarships, and a $315 million debt owed as performance allowances for state-employed lecturers suggest that the need for new universities may not be as urgent as some claim.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
