As the Chair of the Indonesian Rectors Forum (FRI) for the 2024-2025 period, Professor Nurhasan, the Rector of Universitas Negeri Surabaya, inaugurated the entire management of FRI for the 2024-2025 period.
The inauguration also included confirming the FRI management for 2024-2025 by the Director General of Higher Education, Professor Abdul Haris, at the UGM Senate Hall on Saturday (June 1), coinciding with Pancasila Day.
Professor Nurhasan expressed his hope that the newly inaugurated and confirmed FRI management would be able to produce recommendations for the future Indonesian government, particularly in the development of higher education.
Additionally, he emphasized the importance of preparing excellent human resources to leverage Indonesia’s demographic bonus by 2045.
“FRI is a communication forum where participants can exchange ideas and strategies among university leaders across Indonesia, playing a strategic role in providing solutions and advice to the government on various national issues,” he said.
He also mentioned that the Indonesian Rectors Forum is expected to act as a mediator and facilitator for all private and public universities to advance together rather than individually.
“We hope that the future programs of FRI will be more impactful and not just standard so that various parties will increasingly recognize the existence of FRI,” he explained.
Professor Abdul Haris expressed a similar hope. He emphasized that all FRI management for the 2024-2025 period is expected to carry out activities to improve and enrich the working forum of the Indonesian Rectors Forum.
He hoped that with this inauguration, all university leaders, both public and private, would consolidate efforts to increase access to higher education, ensure quality equity, and strengthen its relevance.
He pointed out that university leaders currently face three major issues: access to higher education in Indonesia, which is only around 37 percent; quality disparities between private and public universities; and disparities among public universities themselves.
“I think it remains a task for the government to continue to reduce or narrow these gaps, especially as we predict the demographic bonus,” he stated.
Indonesia will face the problem of educated unemployment in the next 100 years. Naturally, no one wants higher education to produce graduates who are incomprehensive of the business and industrial sectors.
“I think the Indonesian Rectors Forum should prioritize work programs towards these three issues, particularly building relevance. To narrow the gap, the government has tried to create breakthrough programs, including Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM),” Professor Abdul Haris said.
“We need to engage more with the business and industrial sectors so that the graduates we produce can be accepted and align with the needs of these sectors.”
As the host, Professor Ova Emilia, the Rector of UGM, hoped that all universities, including Universitas Gadjah Mada, remain committed to supporting and promoting the development of science and technology to benefit the broader community. By doing so, they aim to enhance services and welfare for the Indonesian people.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographer: Firsto