Theressia Sunday Silalahi, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has unveiled plans to build 10 new universities, including a dedicated institution for public administration aimed at training a new generation of elite civil servants, as part of a broader push to overhaul Indonesia's bureaucracy and strengthen its human capital base.
Speaking at the Indonesia Economy Outlook (IEO) 2026 forum in Jakarta on Friday, Prabowo said the government would begin construction this year and target the first intake of students in 2028.
"One institution will be specifically for public administration. We will select the best sons and daughters of Indonesia and prepare them to take over leadership," he said, underscoring his commitment to regenerating the country's bureaucracy. "There is nobody that cannot be replaced," he added, signaling that officials unable to align with the administration's vision would be removed.
The proposed public administration university is expected to serve as a pipeline for future leaders across ministries and state institutions, reflecting Prabowo's emphasis on performance-based governance. He has authorized senior officials at Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund Danantara, the State-Owned Enterprises supervisory body, the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry, and other agencies to evaluate and replace underperforming officials.
Beyond public administration, the new campuses will focus heavily on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as medical education. Prabowo said Indonesia faces a shortage of STEM professionals, including specialist and subspecialist doctors, a gap he described as a structural constraint on long-term growth.
Students admitted to the new universities will receive full government scholarships, according to the president. The institutions are also expected to recruit foreign lecturers and professors, part of an effort to raise academic standards and international competitiveness.
The plan follows Prabowo's recent visit to the United Kingdom, where he explored potential partnerships with leading British universities. The government is seeking international collaboration to accelerate curriculum development, faculty exchange and research capacity.
Indonesia's higher education sector has made gradual gains but remain outside of the top 100 universities globally. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, the University of Indonesia ranked first domestically and 189th globally. Universitas Gadjah Mada placed second in Indonesia and 224th worldwide, while Institut Teknologi Bandung ranked third nationally and 255th globally.