Ministry of Education Advises Universities Against Rushing to Change Status to PTNBH, Why?

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAKASSAR - Special Staff to the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Mendiktisaintek), Ismail Hasani, has reminded universities not to rush into changing their status to become a Public Higher Education Institution with Legal Entity (PTNBH). According to him, universities with PTNBH status will not perform optimally if they lack competent human resources (HR) readiness.

Ismail Hasani stated that becoming a university with PTNBH status is indeed the dream and obsession of every campus. However, he believes that PTNBH status without transformative leadership, without support from the Board of Trustees, without support from the Academic Senate, lecturers, and students with diverse innovations and research, will not easily yield the expected results.

“Campus autonomy is indeed tempting, isn’t it, Mr Rector. I believe you are all extraordinary, but if the ability to organise and orchestrate all the resources available on campus does not work, then PTNBH might just throw up its hands,” he said in front of the rectors present at the inauguration of Unhas Rector Prof Jamaluddin Jompa, in Makassar, on Monday (27/4/2026).

He explained that educational autonomy through PTNBH, which has become an obsession for many campuses, is actually not the only way to advance a campus. On the contrary, with other types or forms of higher education, for example in the form of a Public Service Agency (BLU), such transformation benefits can also be achieved.

“So, I remind you not to rush into transforming into PTNBH if our strengths are indeed not yet sufficient,” he said.