DPD Member: Public Universities Should Cap New Student Admissions

Semarang (ANTARA) - Muhdi, a member of Commission III of the Regional Representative Council (DPD), has urged public universities (PTNs) to limit new student admissions in line with their campus capacity.

“I think private universities (PTS) everywhere are complaining that many public universities are admitting too many students, or more than they can accommodate,” he said in Semarang on Friday.

Muhdi recently brought together the leadership of private universities in Central Java to discuss the effects of changes to the decile categories used to determine recipients of the Indonesia Smart College Card (KIP), as well as the various challenges they face.

As a former private university rector, he understands how difficult it is for private institutions to recruit new students at present, given the large intake quotas offered by public universities.

He said the situation was compounded by public universities’ independent admissions routes, which further narrow private universities’ share of the pool of prospective students.

“The government may be strict about non-independent admissions, but if independent admissions are left unchecked, it amounts to the same thing,” he said.

He said there could be public demand for however many places public universities offered through independent admissions.

However, he added, private universities were losing opportunities to attract students who would otherwise enrol with them, particularly in the current economic climate, which is not particularly strong.

“The number of school leavers may increase, but the number going on to higher education could fall,” said the former rector of Upgris.

He said student numbers at private universities were generally declining, with some experiencing particularly sharp drops as an increasing share of the “pie” went to public universities.

“I think the point raised by colleagues was that the government should strictly set quotas in line with each institution’s student body and capacity,” he said.

Public universities should not compete to build new lecture rooms or recruit new lecturers simply to increase their intake, he said.

“That would make them like private universities. Public universities should instead protect their quality by assessing their capacity to admit students,” he said.