Liberalization threatens local universities
Liberalization threatens local universities
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta/Yogyakarta
An education expert warned on Sunday that extensive
liberalization of education would threaten the existence of local
universities.
Mochtar Buchori, a doctor in education from Harvard University
in the U.S., said that allowing foreign universities to set up
shop here would deprive local universities of top students and
lecturers.
"People with money and intellectual ability will choose to go
to the foreign universities, leaving only second-grade students
for local universities," Mochtar told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
He further said that with their limited ability to compete
with foreign universities, liberalization would in the end only
sideline local colleges.
"Some of the reasons these local universities give for
rejecting liberalization are acceptable. So, the entry of foreign
universities needs to be regulated," Mochtar said.
He was commenting on a recent statement by Minister of Trade
Mari Elka Pangestu that the government was committed to
liberalizing the education sector in line with World Trade
Organization (WTO) policies, but promised this would take the
condition of local colleges into account.
The Forum of Indonesian Rectors (FRI) and the State
Universities Rectors' Council (MR-PTN) are preparing a statement
rejecting liberalization of the education sector.
Education is one of the global services sectors covered by the
General Agreement of Trade in Services (GATS) under the WTO plan,
which would allow overseas based universities to open branches in
Indonesia, and allow foreign lecturers to teach in Indonesian
universities.
Mari contended that should the country remain closed to
foreign-based universities, more Indonesian students would go
abroad for their education.
Gadjah Mada University (UGM) rector Sofian Effendi said the
rejection on liberalization on the part of the local education
sector was based on the argument that education also served as
a means of transferring the country's values and principles, and
of ensuring that students developed a proper sense of "national
identity".
He underlined that imparting skills and knowledge were not the
only responsibilities of educational institutions.
"We will continue to internationalize our education under the
UNESCO program. However, this should not involve the WTO as
education is not the same as other tradable services," Sofian
said.
He was referring to the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The rector underlined that this was not because local
universities were afraid to compete, but rather it was a matter
of national identity.
"Internationalization should mean improving the quality of the
education sector, not opening up foreign-based universities
here," Sofian said.
Mochtar agreed, saying that the government needed to regulate
the entry of foreign universities into the country so as to
ensure that local universities continued to survive.