Prabowo Lectures Academics for Five Hours on National Development

President Prabowo Subianto delivered a nearly five-hour briefing to academics at the Science, Technology, and Industry Convention on Friday, 26 June 2026. The event was attended by 2,600 lecturers, rectors, and deans from public and private universities. Prabowo’s briefing began openly at around 4 p.m. at the Jakarta Convention Center. After speaking for 30 minutes, he asked journalists to leave the room and continued his speech behind closed doors. The event was paused for a break shortly before 6 p.m., after which Prabowo resumed speaking to the forum of lecturers until past 9 p.m. While speaking, he presented materials on a large screen in the hall. Most lecturers remained in the room throughout Prabowo’s address. ‘He was continuously enthusiastic, five hours non-stop, it was extraordinary,’ said Sukartiningsih, a lecturer at the Faculty of Forestry at Mulawarman University, who followed the forum from start to finish. According to Sukartini, Prabowo discussed Indonesia’s condition extensively during the briefing. The President also addressed government programmes such as free nutritious meals, village cooperatives, and export policies. Sukartini said Prabowo did not give specific instructions to the attending universities. The Gerindra Party chairman simply conveyed a message for academics to engage in building the nation’s future. Prabowo also discussed how foreign nations have taken Indonesia’s natural resources, citing Dutch colonialism as an example. He had previously raised similar points during a plenary session of the House of Representatives. Additionally, Prabowo shared stories from his life, including his youth and his time after completing his military service. ‘So his younger days, he showed that briefly,’ Sukartini said. There was no question-and-answer session during the forum with the lecturers. ‘Because there were so many participants. But he reminded us not to forget that all our knowledge must be contributed to the progress of the Indonesian nation and state,’ said the Vice Rector of Mulawarman University. The organising committee also gave attendees a gift package containing four books by Prabowo: ‘Strategi Transformasi Bangsa’, ‘Paradoks Indonesia dan Solusinya’, and two volumes of ‘Kepemimpinan Militer’, along with ‘Solusi Presiden Prabowo Subianto: Presiden Solusi’ written by Muhammad Qodari, Dirgayuza Setiawan, and Agung Gumilar Saputra. The forum, titled ‘Sarasehan Kebangsaan’, was part of the Science, Technology, and Industry Convention (KSTI) organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. KSTI is a Prabowo initiative first held at the Bandung Institute of Technology in August 2025. Several cabinet members also attended the event, including Vice President Gibran Rakabuming, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.