Corporate status for Unair, ITS

SURABAYA: Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo said on Wednesday Airlangga University (Unair) and the Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS) would be granted corporate status next year.

The two Surabaya-based higher education institutes will join six other state universities and institutes that have been granted autonomy, and therefore are allowed to raise funds while at the same time having their government funding cut.

In a speech to mark Unair's 50th anniversary, Bambang said he would encourage more state universities to end their dependency on the government.

The granting of corporate status has drawn controversy as the newly autonomous universities require students to pay much higher entrance and tuition fees, thus denying access to many potential students. -- Antara