Indonesian education policy and institutional direction

Indonesian education officials have emphasized the importance of social impact and critical reasoning within the national academic framework.

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti, encouraged students to strengthen their moral integrity and advocacy for marginalized communities. He urged students to provide data-driven policy feedback to assist government agencies. In response to environmental challenges, such as forest fires in Riau, Mu’ti suggested remote learning options to ensure student safety. The government also announced infrastructure plans to renovate over 16,000 educational units in 2025 and over 71,000 units in 2026.

Complementing this focus on social responsibility, Badri Munir Sukoco, Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, stated that university rankings should prioritize social, economic, and environmental development. Speaking at a summit in Bali, Sukoco argued that global prestige and research productivity should serve as engines for societal progress, such as addressing climate change or providing clean energy to remote areas, rather than acting as mere administrative trophies.