Govt to ban parade of academic titles

Govt to ban parade of academic titles

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesians may soon no longer be able to flaunt
their academic degrees as a new ruling is being drafted to
regulate the public use of such credentials.

The Ministry of National Education's Director of Private
Universities, Joetata Hadihardaja, said his office was preparing
a regulation which limited the number of titles which could be
displayed to follow a graduate's name.

He said each person would likely be allowed only one academic
title to accompany their name. Joetata added that the highest
academic achievement should be the one used publicly.

Many people here like to show off their numerous degrees, like
medals on an officer's chest, as they supposedly add more
credibility and distinction, especially if the degree is obtained
abroad.

In the frenzy to be distinguished, many, for example, still
jot their foreign-acquired undergraduate degrees beside their
names, despite already having a graduate degree title listed.

Joetata told journalists in Bandung, West Java, on Saturday
that if a person had a master's degree they would not be allowed
to include their S-1 (Indonesian equivalent to an undergraduate
bachelor's degree) after their names.

If the person had a doctoral degree then that would be the
only one used.

However, Joetata did not mention when the new regulation would
be brought in.

Joetata said the regulation was part of the ministry's efforts
to fight the existence of numerous dubious educational
institutions which promised enrolled students an easy way of
obtaining academic distinctions.

He explained that the ministry had already closed down 11 of
these institutions.

"But these institutions continue to exist because there are no
legal sanctions for the people who establish them," he said as
quoted by Antara.

Joetata explained that graduates studying abroad would also
have to validate their degrees at local educational offices in
Indonesia.

Earlier, Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin kicked
off the effort to clean up Indonesia's higher education field by
urging universities to dismiss lecturers with questionable
academic qualifications.

Joetata said the public was confused about the various
academic titles. As an example, he noted that the highest
academic degree which can be obtained was a doctoral degree.
While professorships in Indonesia could only be earned through
years of teaching experience.(04)