Higher Education Frameworks Soon to Be Consolidated: New Administrative Sanctions for Non-Compliance Set for Introduction

The government is currently in the process of drawing up a new Draft Regulation (“Draft Regulation”) that will ultimately address various matters that relate to the administration and management of higher education institutions (i.e. institutions that organize a wide range of academic and/or professional degrees).[1] According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (“Ministry”), the Draft Regulation, which completed its first public hearing (uji publik) with various stakeholders within the academic sector in April 2024, is primarily being introduced in order to consolidate a large number of existing frameworks on higher education and to ensure that applicable provisions on the administration and management of higher education institutions are in line with current requirements.[2]

At the time of writing, the most recent version of the Draft Regulation comprises 198 articles spanning 13 chapters that cover a wide range of aspects relating to the implementation of higher education. These provisions broadly address the following matters:

Responsibilities, duties and authorities during the administration of higher education; University statutes; State universities administered by the Ministry; State legal entity universities; Private universities under the supervision of the Ministry;

Religious universities; Universities under other ministries and non-ministerial government agencies; Vocational (kedinasan) education; Degrees, diplomas and professional certification; and Lecturers and educational staff.

If the Draft Regulation ultimately comes into force, then this new framework will repeal and replace a total of 23 currently applicable frameworks on the organization of higher education, which include the following, among others:

1. Regulation of the Government No. 37 of 2009 on Lecturers (“Regulation 37/2009......