Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Blurred Vision?: Public and Private Higher Education in Indonesia

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

If, as some have argued, private higher education is now the most dynamic segment of higher education, it is also the case that its growth, partly in response to the increasing mismatch between spiralling demand and limited state capacity, is often ad hoc. The article examines the contours of this trend in Indonesia, where the balance of public and private higher education has shifted sharply over the last two decades. While the private sector has been responsible for much of the expansion in higher education, its role in relation to quality is more questionable. Indonesia’s economic burdens, sharply exacerbated by the effects of the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, make it likely that the trend towards privatisation, including of its public institutions, will continue. Together with the current rise of trans-national higher education, however, this is only likely to sharpen existing difficulties around longstanding issues of quality, equality, and regulatory capacity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agenor, P.-R. (2002). Why crises are bad for the poor. Development Outreach, 4(1), 30–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altbach, P. (1998a). Gigantic peripheries: India and China in the world knowledge system. In P. Altbach (Ed.), Comparative higher education. Knowledge, the university and development (pp. 133–146). Greenwich, CT: Ablex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altbach, P. (1998b). Private Higher Education: Themes and variations in comparative perspective, International Higher Education, 10, 1–3.

  • Altbach, P. (2003). Centres and peripheries in the academic profession: The special challenges of developing countries. In P. Altbach (Ed.), The decline of the guru. The academic profession in developing and middle income countries (pp. 1–21). New York: Palgrave.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amirrachman, A., Syafi’i, S., & Welch, A. (2006). Decentralising Indonesian education. The promise and the price. In J. Zajda (Ed.), Centralisation and decentralisation in education. Amsterdam: Springer (in press).

  • Aspinall, E. (2004). Indonesia: Transformation of civil society and democratic breakthrough. In M. Alagappa (Ed.), Civil society and political change in Asia (pp. 61–96). Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Australian (2002). The Problems are Piling Up, November 2, p. 26.

  • Bray M., & Murray Thomas R. (Eds.) (1998) Financing of education in Indonesia. Manila: Asian Development Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brodjonegoro, S. (n.d.) Higher Education Reform in Indonesia, pp. 1–12.

  • Buchori, M., & Malik, A. (2004). Higher education in Indonesia. In P. Altbach, & T. Umakoshi (Eds.), Asian Universities. Historical perspectives and contemporary challenges (pp. 249–278). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, W., Malo, M., & Sunarto, K. (1995). Indonesia. In G. Postiglione (Ed.), Asian higher education. An international handbook and reference guide (pp. 93–114). Westport: Greenwood.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habir, S., Sebastian, E., & Williams, L. (2002). Introduction. In Sebastian Habir, & Williams (Eds.), Governance and privatisation in Indonesia (pp. 1–9). Sydney: Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific (RIAP).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardihardaja, J. (1996). Private higher education in Indonesia: Current developments and existing problems. In Wongsothorn Tong-In, & Yibing Wang (Eds.), Private higher education in Asia and the Pacific. Final report. Bangkok: UNESCO PROAP, and SEAMEO RIHED.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakarta Post (2002). National Education untouched by Reform, Jakarta Post, March 11.

  • Jakarta Post (2004). State Universities Open Door to the Rich’, Jakarta Post, April 8.

  • Kompas (2002a). Anggaran Pendidikan Minimal 20 Persen dari APBN dan APBD (Education Budget Should be at Least 20 Percent), August 7.

  • Kompas (2002b). Anggaran Pendidikan APBN 2003: Pemerintah Sulit Penuhi 20 Persen (Government would find it difficult to meet 20 Percent), August 14.

  • Kompas (2002c). Tampa Kontrol, Peningkatan Anggaran Pendidikan Bisa Berbahaya (Without Controls, Increasing the Education Budget could be Dangerous), August 15.

  • Kompas (2002d). Kian Marak, Program Ekstensi di Universitas Indonesia, Honorarium Dosen Lebih Menjanjikan (More and More Extension Programmers at University of Indonesia, Lecturers secure Greater Financial Benefits), October 3.

  • Kompas (2003). Soal RUU Sisdiknas: Setnig Harus Pahami Aspirasi Masyakarat (About the Education Law: State Secretariat must be Sensitive to People’s Aspirations), February 5.

  • Leigh, B. (1993). The growth of the education system in the making of the state: A case study in ACEH, Indonesia. Unpublished Ph.D., University of Sydney.

  • Levy, D. (2002). Unanticipated Development: Perspectives on Private Higher Education’s Emerging Roles. PROPHE Working Paper 1.

  • Levy, D. (1999). When private higher education does not bring organizational diversity. In P. Altbach, & D. Levy (Eds.), Private prometheus. Private higher educatiou and development in the twenty-first Century. Westport: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray Thomas, R. (1973). A chronicle of Indonesian higher education. Singapore: Chopmen Enterprises.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura, M., & Nishino, S. (1995). Development of Islamic higher education in Indonesia. In A. Yee (Ed.), East Asian higher education. traditions and transformations.

  • OECD (2004). Cross Border Post Secondary Education in the Asia Pacific Region, Internationalisation and Trade in Higher Education. Opportunities and Challenges (pp. 137–204). Paris: OECD.

  • Pardoen, S. (1998). Assessment of private investment in private higher education in Indonesia. The case of four private universities. Centre for Societal Development Studies, Atma Jaya Catholic University.

  • Purwadi, A., & Muljoatmodjo, S. (2000). Education in Indonesia: Coping with challenges in the third millenium. Journal of South East Asian Education, 1(1), 79–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Purwadi, A. (2001). Impact of the economic crisis on higher education in Indonesia, Impact of the economic crisis on higher education in East Asia (pp. 61–75). Paris: IIEP/UNESCO.

  • Ricklefs, M. (2001). A history of modern Indonesian education since c. 1200 (3rd ed.). London: Palgrave.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleicher, A. (2006). The Economics of Knowledge. Why Education is Key for Europe’s Success. www.oecd.org/dataoecd/43/11/36278531.pdf

  • Schwartzman, S. (2002) Higher Education Reform: Indonesia and Latin America. http://www.schwartzman.org.br/simon/jakarta.htm viewed July, 2002.

  • Surakhmad, W. (2002a). Desentralising Education: A Strategy for Building Sustainable Development. Conference on Autonomy in Education in the Indonesian Context. Australian National University, Canberra, 29th September, 2002, pp. 1–18.

  • Sydney Morning Herald (2003b). Bali Schooling Thrown into Chaos as Ripple Effect of Bombing, October 14th p. 6.

  • Sydney Morning Herald, (2003a). ‘Before the Storm’, June 21st, p. 24.

  • Sydney Morning Herald (2002). “Indonesia’s Debt Could Ruin us All”, October 19, p. 59.

  • Surakhmad, W. (2002b). ‘Desentralising Education: A Strategy for Building Sustainable Development.’ Conference on Autonomy in Education in the Indonesian Context. Australian National University, Canberra, September, 2002, pp. 1–22.

  • Tempo (2003). ‘Jalur Khusus. Menembus Kampus Ternama’ Tempo, June 1, pp. 54–55.

  • Tipton, F. B., Jarvis, D., & Welch, A. (2003d). Indonesia In F. B. Tipton, D. Jarvis, & A. Welch (Eds.), Re-defining the borders between public and private in southeast Asia (pp. 294–336). Tokyo: Ministry of Finance/RIAP, University of Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • Transparency International http://www.transparency.org

  • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2005). Human Development Report for South East Asia. UNDP.

  • Varghese, N. (2001). Introduction. In N. Varghese (Ed.), Impact of the economic crisis on higher education in east Asia. Country experiences (pp. 15–22). Paris: IIEP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Varghese N. (Ed.) (2004a). Private higher education. IIEP Policy Forum No. 16. Paris: UNESCO/IIEP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Varghese, N. (2004b). ‘Private Higher Education in Africa’, www.unesco.org/iiep/eng/publications/recent/rec17.htm

  • Welch, A. (1997). ‘All change? The professoriate in uncertain times’, Higher Education, 34(3), 299–303. (Special Issue on the Academic Profession).

  • Welch, A. (1998), ‘The end of Certainty? The academic profession and the challenge of change’, Comparative Education Review, 42(1), 1–14. (Editorial Introduction, Special Issue, The Professoriate).

  • Welch, A. R. (2000), ‘Introduction. Quality and equality in third world education. In A. Welch (Ed.), Quality and equality in third world education (pp. 3–28). New York: Garland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welch, A. (2002). Going Global? Internationalising Australian Universities at a time of Global Crisis, Comparative Education Review, 46, 4 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welch, A., (2003), Blurring borders in higher education. In F. B. Tipton, D. Jarvis, & A. Welch (Eds.), Re-Defining the borders between public and private in southeast Asia (pp. 84–108). Tokyo: Ministry of Finance/RIAP, University of Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welch, A. (2004). Educational services in south East Asia. In D. Jarvis (Ed.), China ASEAN relations (pp. 1–40). Tokyo: Ministry of Finance/RIAP, University of Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welch, A. (2005). ‘From Peregrinatio Academica to the Global Academic’. The Internationalisation of the Profession’, Welch, A., The Professoriate. Profile of a Profession. Amsterdam, Springer.

  • Welch, A., & Mok, K-H. (2003). Conclusion. Deep development or deep division? In K.-H. Mok, & A. Welch (Eds.), Globalisation and educational RE-structuring in Asia and the Pacific (pp. 333–356). London: Palgrave.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodhall, M. (2004). Student loans: Potential, problems and lessons from international experience. Journal of Higher Education in Africa, 2(2), 37–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (2001). World Tables 2000. Social Indicators of Development, January 2001 .

  • World Bank (1996). Staff Appraisal Report. Indonesia. Higher Education Support Project: Development of Undergraduate Education. (15 498-IND) Jakarta, 1996.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the comments on earlier drafts, of Dr. K. Foulcher, and Dr. E. Aspinall, of the University of Sydney’s Indonesian Department, Mr. A. Ammirrachman, and Dr. S. Syafi’i, formerly of its Faculty of Education and Social Work, and the anonymous reviewers of this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social and Policy, The University of Sydney, Studies in Education, Faculty of Education, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

    A. R. Welch

Authors
  1. A. R. Welch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. R. Welch.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Welch, A.R. Blurred Vision?: Public and Private Higher Education in Indonesia. High Educ 54, 665–687 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-006-9017-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-006-9017-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation