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AKARTA: The bill regulating permits for foreign universities to establish branches in Indonesia should be reviewed carefully, as many universities in Indonesia are still deemed “not good enough” and thus not ready to compete with international universities, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) rector Akhmaloka said.

“[The government] should be careful in allowing foreign universities to open [branches] in Indonesia and should consider the condition of Indonesian universities. Not all the state universities are good and ready to compete with the presence of foreign universities,” said Akhmaloka.

“How about the small universities? [The bill] should be reviewed carefully to see if Indonesian universities are strong enough to compete,” the rector said as quoted by kompas.com.

While Akhmaloka admitted that foreign universities could bolster the education system in Indonesia, the bill should be reviewed carefully to see if the timing is right for Indonesia’s education system.

The House of Representatives is currently under fire for considering a bill that would allow foreign universities to establish branches in Indonesia. Critics slammed the bill, which they say could turn the education system in Indonesia into a profit-making business.