Mataram, University of Mataram — The University of Mataram (Unram) held a seminar titled “The Draft National Education System Bill (RUU Sisdiknas): Strengthening Higher Education Governance and Institutional Transformation” on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, at the Senate Conference Room, Unram Rectorate. The seminar was attended by the Vice Chair of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), H. Lalu Hadrian Irfani, S.T., M.Si., and the Rector of Unram, Prof. Ir. Bambang Hari Kusumo, M.Agr.St., Ph.D.

In his opening remarks, the Rector of Unram emphasized that the revision of the National Education System Law (UU Sisdiknas) represents a crucial momentum to reinforce the role of higher education institutions in national development. According to him, regulatory transformation must be able to respond to contemporary challenges, including global dynamics, labor market demands, and the need for equitable access and quality of higher education across all regions of Indonesia.

“Higher education institutions are not only expected to produce graduates, but also to serve as centers for knowledge development, innovation, and solutions to societal problems. Therefore, education regulations must be adaptive, inclusive, and strategically oriented toward sustained quality enhancement,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chair of Commission X of the DPR RI outlined a number of pressing challenges facing higher education in Indonesia. These include higher education participation rates, the educational attainment of the working population, graduate absorption in the labor market, higher education infrastructure, institutional and human resource quality, as well as geographic and economic barriers faced by students.

“Approximately 12.82% of the total employed population holds higher education qualifications (diploma level and above). This figure remains relatively low when compared to the average proportion of higher-educated populations in OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, which stands at 47.42%,” he explained.

Hadrian also emphasized the need for a reformulation of education funding to address these challenges. “Higher education must be able to evolve if it is to meaningfully contribute to the nation’s economic development,” he stated.

At present, the revision of the National Education System Law (UU Sisdiknas) remains in the drafting stage, having previously passed the planning phase. Following submission, the process will proceed through legislative deliberation, enactment, and promulgation. It was also noted that the structure of the Draft National Education System Bill comprises 16 chapters and 225 articles.

“Regulatory reform in education, particularly through the revision of the National Education System Law, represents a strategic effort to strengthen the national education system in a comprehensive and sustainable manner,” he concluded.

The seminar featured two keynote speakers. The first speaker, Dr. M. Sofwan Effendi, S.IP., M.Ed., a lecturer at Jakarta State University, delivered a presentation entitled “The Draft National Education System Bill (RUU Sisdiknas): Regulatory Transformation and Higher Education Governance.” In his presentation, he examined key aspects of regulatory transformation, higher education governance, as well as the governance of academic professions and faculty career development.

The second presentation was delivered by Dr. Muhaimin, S.H., M.Hum., a lecturer at Unram’s Faculty of Law, Social, and Political Sciences who outlined the Key Policy Considerations of the Draft National Education System Bill. He explained three fundamental rationales underlying the formulation of the RUU Sisdiknas, namely philosophical, sociological, and juridical grounds. In addition, Dr. Muhaimin presented several proposed models and structural options for the law, the intended direction of regulatory reform, and a range of strategic governance issues relevant to higher education.

Through this seminar, Unram aims to provide a constructive academic forum for dialogue while making a substantive contribution from higher education institutions to the national education policy-making process.