Academics Urge Curriculum Reform and Job Creation Over Study Programme Closures

A number of academics are urging the government to reform curricula and expand employment opportunities rather than close down university study programmes. The discourse on closing programmes arose because they were seen as contributing to high rates of educated unemployment due to a mismatch between graduates’ skills and industry needs.

The government had previously planned to close several study programmes considered to have an oversupply of graduates. This policy has drawn critical responses, particularly regarding its impact on the sustainability of higher education in Indonesia.

Anang Martoyo, Head of the Career Center at Cyber University, assessed that closing study programmes is not the primary solution to tackling educated unemployment. He believes the quality of graduates can still be significantly improved without eliminating entire fields of study.

‘The main problem is not the study programme itself, but the relevance of graduate competencies. This can be fixed through periodic curriculum updates and improvements in teaching quality,’ Anang said.

Anang added that the plan to close programmes is feared to trigger new, detrimental social and economic impacts. Such a radical policy could potentially disrupt the livelihoods of lecturers, educational staff, and students who are currently actively pursuing their studies.

Beyond internal campus improvements, the government is also being encouraged to actively create a variety of new jobs. Close collaboration between universities, the government, and the industrial sector is key to ensuring graduates are more adaptable to the rapidly changing dynamics of the job market.

‘Ultimately, improving the quality of human resources cannot be done instantly by limiting access to education. A comprehensive, long-term oriented policy is far more constructive for addressing the nation’s future challenges,’ he stated.

He explained that Cyber University runs a Company Learning Programme (CLP) 3+1, where students study in class for three years and undertake a one-year internship. This approach has resulted in many Cyber University graduates being directly absorbed into the workforce. ‘Through the CLP 3+1 programme at Cyber University, the door is wide open for students to enter the industry directly. So, many are already working even before they graduate,’ said Anang.