President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked National Education Minister Muhammad Nuh to retain the autonomy for higher education institutions in the new regulation draft meant to replace the recently-revoked 2008 Law on Education Legal Entities.
Nuh said after a meeting with the President on Monday the head of government’s request was in line with the wishes of state universities.
"When drafting the new regulation, we must pay attention to the importance of giving autonomy to higher education institutions, both in term of academic activities and financial, assets and human resources management," Nuh told a press conference.
Also attending the meeting were representatives of the universities, including University of Indonesia (UI) rector Gumilar Rusmiwa Soemantri.
Gumilar said state universities needed the autonomy to help them manage their funding and improve their quality.
"State-owned higher education institutions are the driving force behind national development. Without enough room to manage our resources, it'll be difficult for us to carry out our jobs," he said.
Gumilar denied allegations that the autonomy status would lead to commercialization of the country's higher education sector.
"This is not a commercialization, but an entrepreneurial university. Nowadays there is no research universities in the world that are not entrepreneurial," he added.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|