What is the University of the Republic of Indonesia Newly Established by Prabowo?
The Governor of the Universitas Republik Indonesia (URI), Donny Ermawan, has explained the tasks of the institution, which was newly inaugurated by Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday (22/7).
He said its mission is to prepare future leaders.
“This is why he wants to establish quality education at primary, junior high and senior high school levels, in higher education and also in government. He wishes to consolidate and integrate several existing educational institutions,” Donny said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (22/7).
Donny said URI is a continuation of the Garuda Excellence School (Sekolah Unggulan Garuda), and that Prabowo Subianto will subsequently establish URI campuses that will also integrate with the National Institute of Public Administration (Lembaga Administrasi Negara, LAN).
He said URI will eventually establish as many as ten campuses.
“All of this relates to education, development and the preparation of human resources for the future, both for government and for state-owned enterprises (BUMN),” Donny said.
He also explained that under the URI Governor there is a National Education Management Body, which oversees the Excellence School Management Body, the Higher Education Management Body and the National Institute of Public Administration.
“The National Institute of Public Administration already exists today and will be integrated, but its duties and functions will be expanded and strengthened. If so far it has focused on training civil servants (ASN), in future we will also add training for SOEs. So the preparation of SOE staff will also be carried out at the National Institute of Public Administration,” he said.
Donny explained that URI’s work has already begun, with the university currently training and developing 399 new SOE employees to become leaders of character and integrity in the future. Meanwhile, URI’s financing will come entirely from the state budget (APBN).
The URI campus will be built in Bogor on former PTPN palm plantation land, whilst for the time being URI’s activities take place at the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises building in Jakarta.
Donny said the URI campus will operate like an ordinary university, with graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees.
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi likewise stated that the Universitas Republik Indonesia is being prepared to forge future national leaders by adopting the leadership education models applied in several countries.
“We have been preparing this for a long time. It is just that the timing was not right before. There will come a time when I explain the details. So, we are learning from several countries that have specialised educational institutions for preparing future leaders,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Prasetyo said a number of countries have specialised educational institutions tasked with preparing future leaders to fill strategic positions in government.
He cited France as an example, with its École nationale d’administration (ENA), now transformed into the Institut National du Service Public (INSP), which serves as an educational institution for prospective government officials.
Prasetyo said government officials, state-owned enterprise officials and even regional heads have generally attended courses at such institutions.
“All government officials, all SOE officials, even governors and regents must enter or have attended education at that one institution,” he said.
Through a similar model, the government hopes that future leaders in Indonesia will possess both technical competence and a strong sense of national insight.
According to him, strengthening national insight is important because state officials carry out a mandate for the interests of the nation and the state.
“So it is hoped that everyone will have technical capabilities and, most importantly, national insight. We are all carrying out a mandate for the interests of the nation and the state,” Prasetyo said.