UMY Separates Career Paths for Lecturers: Researchers Can Now Focus Without Teaching
The Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY) has introduced a new initiative to enhance the quality of education. UMY is now implementing a policy that separates career paths for lecturers based on talent and work focus.
With the policy implemented from this period, UMY lecturers are no longer required to carry out all functions simultaneously. Lecturers will be directed to focus on one of three paths: researcher, lecturer, or community service.
The Rector of UMY, Prof. Dr. Achmad Nurmandi, said that this policy was born out of concern for the unrealistic workload of lecturers. Previously, lecturers were required to teach up to 40 SKS (credit hours) per year while also being expected to produce three to four scientific publications in the same period.
“If they have to publish 3-4 papers per year and are still required to teach up to 40 SKS, it will certainly be difficult. This is not possible,” said Nurmandi in a written statement on Friday (May 15, 2026).
With this new policy, lecturers who are on the researcher path will be focused on producing scientific works and will be exempt from the obligation to teach full-time. Meanwhile, lecturers who hold structural positions such as deans or rectors will also no longer be burdened with the same research publication targets as researcher lecturers.
Nurmandi emphasized that this policy is not to limit, but to develop lecturers according to their best strengths. Previously, the dual workload did not produce optimal output on both sides.
This policy is also part of UMY’s broader strategy to improve its position in national and international university rankings.
“Lecturers who are talented in research should focus on research. Research is a world that always promises, and for me personally, it is enjoyable,” explained Nurmandi.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Downstreaming at UMY, Dr. Supriyatiningsih, added that the Research Center is no longer just a complement to the university’s organizational structure. The Research Center is now UMY’s main anchor for building academic reputation at the national and international levels.
Upi, as she is known, explained that of the 16 Research Centers owned by UMY, the majority have not been operating optimally. However, UMY is now launching a comprehensive research center revitalization program to strengthen its functions and productivity.
This program has also received a good response from 21 institutions that have registered as Research Centers. Each registered institution is required to submit a Decree (SK) as part of the formalization process.
“The Research Center is one of UMY’s anchors to place this university in academic processes, in this case ranking and tracking. And that automatically supports our reputation,” said Upi.
The output produced by the Research Center, ranging from indexed scientific publications, research collaborations, to international partnerships, is a variable that directly contributes to the score of university rankings. UMY views this revitalization as a strategic step to strengthen the institution’s competitiveness in the long term.
“This step is an effort to build research synergy down to the smallest academic unit, so that the activities of the Research Center do not run separately from the dynamics of the study programs that oversee these institutions,” Upi concluded.