'Cross-subsidies' for private colleges<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Wealthier private universities will soon be
\nrequested to help less-advanced ones as a way to check a
\nperceived quality gap.<\/p>\n
These \"cross-subsidies\" are among the programs to be developed
\nby the Consultative Forum for Private Universities, which
\nconcluded its third national congress yesterday.<\/p>\n
The newly-elected chairman of the forum, Bunyamin Ramto, said
\nyesterday that the forum would also explore the possibility of
\ngathering public funds for the programs.<\/p>\n
Among the first steps to be taken by the forum is the
\nestablishment of an information system for private-universities,
\nhe said. \"In doing so, we hope to see clearly the problems each
\nprivate university is facing,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bunyamin replaced Moeslim Tahir as chairman of the forum.<\/p>\n
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro said in
\na ceremony to swear in Bunyamin that private universities varied
\ngreatly both in the quantity and quality of students.<\/p>\n
\"This circumstance represents a major challenge for the
\nforum,\" he said. The forum should draw up \"realistic\" programs to
\naddress the situation, he added.<\/p>\n
He asked the forum's central board to heed the aspirations of
\nits member universities, and to ensure these coincided with \"the
\npublic's aspirations\".<\/p>\n
\"Newly elected board members are often unrealistic because
\nthey seem to forget that they only have four years in a term...
\nThe first thing they should do is identify what the public wants
\nand what the universities want,\" Wardiman said.<\/p>\n
He promised that the government would help the forum as much
\nas possible.<\/p>\n
\"We will be transparent in our policies so that the
\nuniversities know what we expect from them and vice-versa,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He reminded the forum members that the most important goal was
\nto improve the quality of the universities and to ensure that
\nstudents benefited, while the universities' investments could
\nbear fruit.<\/p>\n
The government issued last year a decree that there be a
\nrepresentative of the forum in every private university. This
\nmove was met with strong opposition from critics and legislators
\nwho said it would simply become a form of government intervention
\nin private universities.<\/p>\n
Bambang Soehendro, the ministry's Director General for Higher
\nEducation, said that all private universities were required to
\nhave a representative of the forum within, at the latest, three
\nyears from now.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think there is any way the universities can object,
\nbecause it is a rule and rules must be obeyed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There are presently 1,164 private universities in Indonesia
\nwith more than 1.5 million students, which is more than twice the
\nnumber attending state universities. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cross-subsidies-for-private-colleges-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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