Explanation from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology Regarding the Change of Program Study Names from 'Teknik' to 'Rekayasa'

Fri, 15 May 2026, 18:00 WIB | By Putri Rosmalia | Source: MEDIA_INDONESIA | Education

Director of Learning and Student Affairs, Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), Beny Bandanadjaja, explained regarding the use of the term ‘Rekayasa’ which replaces ‘Teknik’ in the nomenclature of university study programs. He explained that the term ‘Rekayasa’ in several study programs is the official equivalent of the term ‘Engineering’ in Indonesian, as stated in the Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI).

“In the KBBI, ‘Rekayasa’ is defined as the application of scientific principles in the design, construction, and operation of systems, technologies, or structures effectively and efficiently,” he said to Media Indonesia, Friday (15/5).

Therefore, Beny continued, the use of the term ‘Rekayasa’ is not a new term, but rather part of the development and standardization of scientific terminology in Indonesian.

“However, it must be emphasized that the use of the term ‘Rekayasa’ is not intended to replace the term ‘Teknik’ which has been widely used and has a strong history, reputation, and recognition in Indonesian higher education,” he stressed.

According to Beny, study programs such as Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and other engineering nomenclatures remain an important part and are fully recognized in the field of engineering. There is no need to change the names of existing Engineering study programs. There is no policy that requires universities to change the nomenclature from ‘Teknik’ to ‘Rekayasa’.

“The current study program nomenclature policy provides space for universities to choose the nomenclature that best suits the character of the science, curriculum approach, development of scientific disciplines, and the academic development needs of each institution,” said Beny.

“In practice, the use of the term ‘Rekayasa’ is more common in multidisciplinary fields and emerging technologies, such as Software Engineering, Biological Engineering, Computer Engineering Technology, and Advanced Materials Engineering Technology,” he added.

Thus, Beny emphasized that the terms ‘Teknik’ and ‘Rekayasa’ do not need to be opposed because both are in the same field of science and both represent the field of Engineering. The difference is more related to the nomenclature approach and the context of the development of the field of science.

Kemdiktisaintek invites the public to look at this issue more substantively. The main focus of higher education remains on the quality of learning, the competence of graduates, relevance to the needs of industry and society, and its contribution to the progress of the nation.

Kemdiktisaintek will continue to encourage the development of higher education that is adaptive to the development of global science and technology, while still strengthening the use of Indonesian as the language of science.

“The Ministry affirms that there is no elimination of the term ‘Teknik’ and there is no obligation to change the nomenclature from ‘Teknik’ to ‘Rekayasa’. Both are still recognized in the field of Engineering. The most important thing is to ensure that each study program has strong quality standards, a relevant curriculum, and competent graduates who are able to meet the needs of the nation,” Beny concluded. (H-3)

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