Health Minister Proposes International Medical Campuses Be Built Outside Java

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has welcomed the government’s plan to build ten new medical and science universities in collaboration with Imperial College London, but has proposed they be constructed outside Java to ensure equitable distribution of medical education across Indonesia. “If possible, they should be built in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara, Papua, and Sumatra,” he told reporters at the Parliament complex in Jakarta on Tuesday, 23 June 2026.

The initiative was discussed by the government and a delegation from Imperial College London at the Presidential Palace on Monday, 22 June 2026. Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, who attended the meeting, stated the partnership is part of efforts to strengthen the national education and research ecosystem.

“We are currently discussing many things with Imperial College regarding our plan to build a strategic partnership to improve the quality of education in Indonesia, particularly medical education,” Brian said in an official statement. He explained that Imperial College London would assist in the realisation of the ten new medical and science universities by providing support in curriculum development, teaching standards, joint research, and the involvement of international visiting professors.

Brian expressed confidence that the collaboration would not only benefit the ten new institutions but would also have a broad impact on many universities across the country. He noted that Imperial College London is ranked fourth in the world, and the partnership represents a significant opportunity for Indonesia to work directly with a top global university to elevate the quality of teaching and research, thereby improving the international rankings of Indonesian campuses.