Minister of Higher Education: Suspected Research Fraudsters are Not Lecturers
The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, revealed that based on investigations by his ministry, none of the suspected perpetrators of research forgery are from the lecturer community. The suspects, who were involved in the falsification of identities and research during the International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD) in Copenhagen, Denmark, are all alumni of Yogyakarta State University (UNY).
“The commonality among all those suspected of this violation is that they are graduates of UNY. We first checked whether any of the perpetrators were affiliated as lecturers or researchers. It turns out there are none,” said Brian Yuliarto when met at the DPR Building, Senayan Complex, South Jakarta, on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.
Brian stated that the ministry has coordinated with UNY to further investigate the motives and determine the appropriate legal steps for imposing sanctions. He also noted that the ministry, together with UNY, has summoned and interviewed the four suspects.
From these interviews, he concluded that there was a strong motive for fraud: targeting overseas travel grants. “There is a strong suspicion that they intended to exploit international travel grants. This is highly problematic in terms of ethics and integrity,” Brian remarked.
Furthermore, Brian expressed regret that this case has tarnished the credibility of Indonesian research on the global stage. He is considering legal action to provide a deterrent effect against the four suspects. “We will follow up on this case and continue to gather data. We are also open to input from social media if anyone has more specific information. This data is essential, especially since the suspects are not lecturers,” said Brian.
Because the suspects do not hold lecturer status, Brian noted that disciplinary ethical sanctions cannot be applied. Consequently, the ministry may take firm action by referring the case to the legal authorities. “We want to create a deterrent effect. This case harms the nation’s credibility and affects researchers who perform genuine, hard work,” he added.
Previously, the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs at UNY, Nur Hidayanto, stated that the university is investigating the news that went viral on social media. Of the four researchers accused of forgery, two are identified as UNY alumni, namely Prihantini and Rifaldy Fajar, both graduates of the Mathematics Study Programme, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at UNY.
“From our database search, those two names (Prihantini and Rifaldy) are indeed alumni from the classes of 2017 and 2018,” said Nur on Wednesday, 27 May 2026. However, Nur noted that the university has not yet been able to confirm the allegations of research forgery and is currently seeking clarification from the individuals involved.