Prabowo Reveals Reasons for Establishing Republic of Indonesia University: Human Resource Issues in Various Institutions

President Prabowo Subianto has acknowledged that there are still issues regarding the quality of human resources and a lack of synchronisation in work across various government institutions.

This condition is one of the primary reasons the government is establishing the Republic of Indonesia University (URI) as a venue to prepare prospective national leaders and administrators based on capability and a merit-based system. According to President Prabowo, the formation of URI, the renewal of the National Institute of Public Administration (LAN), and plans for an academy for government officials are part of an effort to strengthen the system and prepare professional human resources.

Through these steps, the government intends to ensure that state institutions are filled with competent officials who can be evaluated and are capable of working in harmony for the public interest. “We must improve all our institutions. If there is a lack of synchronisation between agencies and there is a gap, as you say, then that is our challenge. We must fix it,” said Prabostow during the ‘President Prabowo Answers’ programme on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.

Prabowo emphasised that the government must prepare concrete steps to overcome these issues. Improvements cannot be achieved through structural changes alone but must also address the quality of the individuals working within the institutions. “The steps for improving recruitment, evaluation, coaching, and preparation—that is what we are doing. That is why, among other things, I am forming the Republic of Indonesia University,” he stated.

Prabowo explained that URI is designed to house several institutions focused on the development of leadership and government administration. One of these is the National Institute of Public Administration (LAN), which is planned to be revamped and placed within the URI ecosystem.

“URI will eventually have various institutions, including LAN. We want to revamp the National Institute of Public Administration under URI,” he revealed.

Prabowo noted that while the original purpose of LAN was excellent—to prepare competent state administrators—over time, the institution tended to become a mere formality for bureaucratic career progression. “Previously, Bung Karno (the first President of Indonesia, Soekarno) also intended to refer to that, so LAN was formed. But over time, LAN also became a formality, used only for career advancement. Now, I want to fix this, and we have already begun doing so,” he asserted.

President Prabowo referenced the model of public administrator education in France through the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA). According to Prabowo, institutions for training state administrators must possess a rigorous selection process and uphold a merit-based system.