Shinta Maharani, Jakarta – Several professors from the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) in Yogyakarta have declined President Prabowo Subianto's invitation to a dialogue at the State Palace, citing concerns that the event would be largely ceremonial.

A letter from the Directorate General of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, dated January 9, 2026, listed 180 university professors from state and private institutions to attend a briefing and dialogue with the president on Thursday, January 15, 2026. The letter has circulated among academics nationwide.

Masduki, a Professor of Communication Science at UII, said he would not attend, criticizing the ministry for failing to provide a detailed discussion framework.

"I only found out about the invitation from a friend. Ideally, the letter should have been sent a week prior," he told Tempo on Wednesday, January 14.

He added that the forum's stated purpose, which is to strengthen higher education's role in supporting the government's Asta Cita mission (a set of development priorities set by President Prabowo and Vice President Gibran), appeared to follow a top-down approach focused on image-building rather than substantive dialogue.

"It seems like participants will only listen to Prabowo's speech, with little opportunity to provide feedback or critique," Masduki said.

As head of UII's Study Center for Religion and Democracy, Masduki also questioned the forum's potential impact on policy matters, such as academic autonomy and lecturer welfare.

"It seems difficult to address universities' oversight role over government performance in this format," he noted.

The refusal from UII professors underscores growing scrutiny among academics over ceremonial presidential events that may limit meaningful exchange on national higher education policy.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2080452/prabowos-palace-dialogue-snubbed-by-professors-as-merely-ceremonia