Udayana University Responds to Ministry of Higher Education's Plan to Close Irrelevant Study Programmes

Universitas Udayana (Unud) has responded to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology’s (Kemdiktisaintek) plan to close study programmes (prodi) deemed less relevant.

Unud Rector, I Ketut Sudarsana, views that every study programme, in principle, needs to be periodically evaluated to remain relevant to developments in science, societal needs, as well as the dynamics of the job market and national development.

“The evaluation process certainly needs to be carried out carefully, comprehensively, and based on in-depth academic studies,” said Sudarsana on Tuesday (5/5/2026).

For higher education institutions, said Sudarsana, the adjustment and development of study programmes is part of efforts to maintain quality and relevance in higher education to address ongoing challenges and needs of the times.

Sudarsana emphasised that Unud has only heard about the discourse on closing less relevant study programmes from Kemdiktisaintek through various news reports and discussion forums. He has not yet received official information from Kemdiktisaintek, either through circulars or other technical policies.

“Therefore, we are still awaiting official directives from the ministry as the basis for taking further steps,” Sudarsana stressed.

For information, Kemdiktisaintek intends to close various study programmes that are assessed as less relevant to future economic growth needs. This plan will be implemented in the near future.

Secretary General of Kemdiktisaintek, Badri Munir Sukoco, hopes that higher education institutions are willing to sort and select study programmes that need to be closed. Kemdiktisaintek also expects support from the Higher Education Consortium for Population Concerns (PTPK).

“So this, in our view at the ministry, requires a joint policy. We also hope for support from friends in PTPK, of course, the rectors present here, (so that) there is willingness,” Badri stated at the 2026 National Population Symposium (23/4/2026), quoted from the replay of the YouTube broadcast of the Ministry of Population and Family Planning/National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN).