Government Forms Team to Study the Connection between Campus and the World of Work

JAKARTA - The Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi stated that the government formed a team to study the connection between the campus world and the world of work so that graduates from universities can be absorbed directly by employers.

Prasetyo explained that the formation of the team was one of the manifestations of President Prabowo Subianto's support for the academic community.

"We are being asked to examine the conditions of all our universities. This bias translates into many things, for example regarding the number of our universities, regarding the continuation of the results of our university graduates so that when they graduate, this is in sync with openness or availability of jobs," said Prasetyo Hadi as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, January 15.

Pras continued that the formation of the team had also been reported by several ministers to the President in a meeting between President Prabowo and 1,200 professors of social humanities (soshum), deans, and rectors from public universities and private universities across Indonesia today.

"This part that we just said, we are forming a team led by the Minister of Education, Science, and Technology who is working with several other ministries, there is the Minister of Manpower, there is the Minister of Trade, there is the Minister of Industry so that everything becomes one unity, a grand design system that indeed comes from education, but at the end after graduating, of course, you have to be able to manage several government priority programs, and especially drive our economy," said Pras.

Previously, Pras explained that the government was also studying strategies to improve the quality of universities in Indonesia, at the same time, the cost imposed on students could also be reduced.

"We realize that our constitutional mandate must educate the life of the nation and one of them is through education at the university level, so if possible we are trying to calculate how these universities can advance and be quality, and not burden the financing for the community or for students," said Prasetyo Hadi.

On the central page of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Thursday, President Prabowo met with 1,200 professors in the field of social and humanities (soshum), deans, rectors and leaders of universities.

During the meeting, President Prabowo gave a briefing to university leaders, then also announced an increase in the research fund ceiling to Rp. 4 trillion or 50 percent of the original figure of Rp. 8 trillion so that the total ceiling in 2026 reaches Rp. 12 trillion.

Regarding the additional research funds, Prasetyo stated that the policy applies in 2026. "This year (applicable, ed.). So it is asked to yes enter in the 2026 budget year," said Prasetyo.