Government's Desired Scheme for Foreign Campuses in Indonesia

Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto has opened opportunities for foreign universities to operate in Indonesia. He stated that the government will encourage collaborative models between foreign universities and domestic higher education institutions.

Brian said the government does not rule out the possibility of foreign universities establishing themselves independently in Indonesia. However, the government prioritises a collaborative approach.

“If they want to build on their own, we permit it. But we also encourage how the foreign university model can collaborate with existing universities in Indonesia,” said Brian when met at the Ministry of Higher Education office in South Jakarta on Monday, 6 April 2026.

According to Brian, the promoted scheme is not an institutional merger, but rather integrated programmes such as joint degrees or shared programmes. Through this model, students can follow a curriculum involving both institutions simultaneously.

He assessed that this approach could have a double impact, namely opening access to global education and strengthening the capacity of domestic higher education institutions. “In this way, our universities will also be empowered,” said Brian.

Brian stated that such collaborations are already being explored by several institutions, including the possibility of collaboration between foreign universities like the University of Oxford and Institut Teknologi Bandung.

Nevertheless, he has not detailed the list of foreign universities that will enter or are in the process of negotiation here. “I’ll check first. I’m afraid of getting the data wrong,” he said.