Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Professor Stella Christie, stated that the government will promote the development of applied sciences through vocational higher education.
According to her, almost all countries that have transitioned from middle-income to high-income status began by focusing on the development of applied sciences.
She acknowledged that the development of vocational education aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s four directives for the Red and White Cabinet.
“There are directives regarding job availability; measurable productivity; food, energy, and water security; and technology as an investment in human education. I believe the fourth directive is well-suited to vocational education,” the deputy minister explained after her visit and talk show at UGM’s Vocational College (SV UGM) on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
She further elaborated on the government’s strategic steps to enhance the quality of vocational education while bridging the gap between academia, industry, and government.
Referring to President Prabowo’s vision, she emphasized the importance of fostering strong connections among these sectors.
Every ministry and institution plans to facilitate collaboration to address national challenges.
However, Professor Christie acknowledged the existing stigma in society, which views applied sciences as second-class education.
Despite the elimination of the Directorate General of Vocational Education within the Ministry of Higher Education, the government remains committed to elevating the quality of vocational education to be on par with bachelor’s degree programs.
The decision to eliminate the directorate general was based on the principle of general relativity rather than special relativity.
“The hope is that vocational and academic education will no longer be compartmentalized but treated equally. We aim to foster this in creating a science and technology ecosystem,” she explained.
According to Professor Christie, the absence of a Directorate-General for Vocational Education does not mean vocational and polytechnic education lacks government support.
On the contrary, it aims to change the public’s perception, establishing vocational education as equivalent to general academic education.
“The government wants to ensure that the development of applied sciences can address national issues,” she said.
When asked about research developments in higher vocational education, Professor Christie emphasized the need for applied and fundamental research to progress together.
Both are crucial in solving current problems while anticipating future challenges.
She believes that researchers should not focus on whether their work is applied or fundamental but rather on what problems they aim to solve.
This, in turn, will determine the strength of research commercialization from the academic sector.
“Applied research is like low-hanging fruit, easy to pick and highly sought after by industry and society. However, the industry, government, and academia are currently disconnected,” Professor Christie remarked.
Dean of SV UGM, Professor Agus Maryono, admitted that vocational higher education in Indonesia still lags behind bachelor’s degree programs.
“We certainly hope for government initiatives to improve the quality of vocational education,” he said.
He noted that there is still a perception that vocational education is inferior to fundamental education, making it less appealing to industries and the public.
In reality, the development of applied sciences is essential.
“To improve quality, we need adequate resources. That’s why we at SV UGM have been working to build bridges with industry,” he concluded.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang
Photographer: Donnie