(Jakarta, 14th) – The Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology is accelerating the transformation of universities nationwide, aiming to achieve World-Class University (WCU) status. At the same time, by strengthening the innovation ecosystem and learning from the experiences of other countries, Indonesia hopes to enhance its universities’ international influence.
Muhammad Najib, Director General of Institutional Affairs at the Ministry of Higher Education, said in Jakarta on Friday that WCU is not just about global rankings, but also represents a comprehensive transformation of Indonesia’s higher education, making it a global benchmark. “In fact, many disciplines, such as social sciences, can showcase local wisdom, but we must improve the quality and international visibility of our universities,” he noted.
At the forum, renowned Malaysian scholar Dato’ Seri Zaini Ujang shared strategies that helped Malaysian universities achieve WCU status, including visionary leadership, clear research directions, annual performance evaluation systems, and internationalization goals. He pointed out that some Malaysian universities have entered the QS global top 200, thanks to a robust innovation ecosystem and national policy support.
The discussion also focused on challenges facing global higher education, including maintaining a balance between accessibility and quality of education despite limited funding. The forum emphasized that academic leadership, research culture, industry-academia cooperation, and sustainable financing models are all key factors in building WCUs.
The Ministry of Higher Education stated that this discussion gathered university leaders to lay the foundation for Indonesia’s WCU implementation framework. By strengthening academic leadership, accountable governance, and quantifiable internationalization strategies, Indonesian universities will enhance global competitiveness while staying rooted in national identity and needs.
The WCU transformation will also serve as part of a long-term strategy to promote scientific independence and consolidate Indonesia’s position in the global higher education sphere.
At the forum, renowned Malaysian scholar Dato’ Seri Zaini Ujang shared strategies that helped Malaysian universities achieve WCU status, including visionary leadership, clear research directions, annual performance evaluation systems, and internationalization goals. He pointed out that some Malaysian universities have entered the QS global top 200, thanks to a robust innovation ecosystem and national policy support.
The discussion also focused on challenges facing global higher education, including maintaining a balance between accessibility and quality of education despite limited funding. The forum emphasized that academic leadership, research culture, industry-academia cooperation, and sustainable financing models are all key factors in building WCUs.
The Ministry of Higher Education stated that this discussion gathered university leaders to lay the foundation for Indonesia’s WCU implementation framework. By strengthening academic leadership, accountable governance, and quantifiable internationalization strategies, Indonesian universities will enhance global competitiveness while staying rooted in national identity and needs.
The WCU transformation will also serve as part of a long-term strategy to promote scientific independence and consolidate Indonesia’s position in the global higher education sphere.