Ministry of Education Explains Reason Behind the Change of Study Program Names from 'Teknik' to 'Rekayasa'

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) has explained the reason behind the change in nomenclature from ‘teknik’ to ‘rekayasa’ in the latest study program names, which has been the subject of public discussion recently.

This policy is outlined in the Copy of the Director-General of Higher Education’s Decree of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Number 96/B/KPT/2025 concerning the Names of Study Programs in the Types of Academic Education and Professional Education.

Kemendiktisaintek stated in an official statement in Jakarta on Friday that the use of the term ‘rekayasa’ in several study programs is the official equivalent of the term ‘engineering’ in Indonesian, as stated in the Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI).

In the KBBI, ‘rekayasa’ is defined as the application of scientific principles in the design, construction, and operation of systems, technologies, or structures effectively and efficiently.

“Therefore, the use of the term ‘rekayasa’ is not a new term, but rather part of the development and standardisation of scientific terminology in Indonesian,” the statement said.

However, Kemendiktisaintek emphasised that the use of the term ‘rekayasa’ is not intended to replace the term ‘teknik’, which has been widely used and has a strong history, reputation, and recognition in Indonesian higher education.

Study programs such as civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and other ‘teknik’ nomenclatures remain an important and fully recognised part of the engineering field.

“There is no policy requiring universities to change the nomenclature from ‘teknik’ to ‘rekayasa’,” the statement said.

In practice, Kemendiktisaintek explained that the use of the term ‘rekayasa’ is more common in multidisciplinary fields and emerging technologies, such as software engineering, biotechnology, computer engineering technology, and advanced materials engineering technology.

Kemendiktisaintek invites the public to look at this issue in a more substantive way. The main focus of higher education remains on the quality of learning, the competence of graduates, relevance to the needs of industry and society, and its contribution to the progress of the nation.

Kemendiktisaintek also underlined that there is no elimination of the term ‘Teknik’ and there is no obligation to change the nomenclature from ‘Teknik’ to ‘Rekayasa’.

“Both are still recognised in the field of engineering. The most important thing is to ensure that each study program has strong quality standards, relevant curricula, and competent graduates who are able to meet the needs of the nation,” said Kemendiktisaintek. (Ant)