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View all search resultsProposal to close university majors under scrutiny
A higher education ministry official argued several majors, such as education and medical degrees, have been oversupplying graduates, leaving hundreds of thousands of graduates from such programs without employment.
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An llustration of graduates holding their caps and diplomas. (Shutterstock/Anel Alijagic)
T
he government’s plan to potentially close university majors that do not meet economic demand has come under scrutiny, with observers pointing to the need for higher education institutions to revamp their study programs and curricula.
The plan was first mooted by the Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry secretary-general, Badri Munir Sukoco, during the 2026 National Population Symposium in Badung, Bali, on April 23.
At the event, he said the ministry wanted universities to focus on academic disciplines considered more relevant to national development priorities, including energy, food, defense, industry downstreaming and digitalization.
“We need to sort out university majors and, if necessary, close them to increase the relevance of university programs [to the job market],” Badri said.
He added some study programs, including degrees in education, have been oversupplying graduates, as Indonesian universities produce around 490,000 graduates in such programs every year. Meanwhile, there are only around 20,000 jobs available in the sector, leaving the rest unable to secure employment.
“If we don’t align higher education institutions that are expected to assist us becoming a developed country with the need for future economic growth,” Badri went on to say, “there won’t be a match [with the demographic dividend].”
Read also: Rising temp jobs, jobless youth strain RI’s job market
