UMY Criticizes Indonesian Govt Plan to Shut Study Programs

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Deputy Rector for Education and Student Affairs at Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY), Zuly Qodir, has raised concerns over the Indonesian government’s discourse on plans to close study programs at higher education institutions.

This comes in response to the statement from the Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), Badri Munir Sukoco, regarding the plan to evaluate and close study programs due to the imbalance between the number of university graduates and the needs of the job market.

"Currently, we choose to make adjustments to the curriculum rather than closing study programs directly," said Zuly on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Zuly mentioned that this curriculum adjustment is considered more adaptive in facing the changing needs of the times without eliminating certain fields of knowledge. "Curriculum enhancement is carried out by involving industry practitioners and strengthening students' non-academic competencies to better prepare them for the job market," he said.

This approach is also considered more effective in bridging the gap between higher education and industry needs. "We adapt the curriculum to the developments in the job market and introduce practitioners so that students understand the needs in the field," he said.

In addition, students are encouraged to develop soft skills to be not only academically strong but also professionally ready.

UMY itself finds the discourse of closing study programs to address the issue of an excess of graduates to be perplexing. "The discourse of closing study programs certainly needs more detailed clarification, especially regarding which fields are considered irrelevant," said Zuly.

Zuly cited the education and medical sectors, both of which are said to have an excess of graduates, but on the other hand, still face a shortage of manpower in the field. According to him, this needs to be clarified, which educational program it is. Is it elementary school teachers, subject teachers, or specific fields.

Because, Zuly continued, in the field, there are still many areas lacking teachers. The same goes for medicine. "Our question is, if those graduates are considered excessive, why is the establishment of medical faculties still encouraged? It could be that what is actually needed are specialist doctors, not general practitioners, but this has not been clearly explained," added Zuly.

Furthermore, he emphasized that the main issue lies not only in the number of study programs but in the connection between the curriculum and the needs of the job market. According to him, a multidisciplinary approach is the key to ensuring graduates' relevance without needing to close specific study programs.

Zuly stated that various fields of knowledge, including social sciences, still play an important role in supporting the industry. Industrial needs are not only technical but also include managerial, social, and policy aspects.

"If the industry is only seen from a technical perspective, it is clearly not sufficient. Financial management, marketing, and community relations require contributions from social sciences," he said. "So, the issue is not about whether it is relevant or not, but how to integrate it with industrial needs," he added.

Zuly reminded that the government's policies should not solely be oriented towards short-term industrial needs. According to him, higher education institutions have a broader role in building knowledge and the nation's future.

The government also needs to clearly explain which study programs will be closed and developed. "Higher education institutions should not merely follow trends without a clear direction. Higher education is not just about producing workers, but also about building knowledge and the nation's future," he said.

Read: Indonesia Puts Moratorium on New Humanities Study Programs

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