Indonesia Puts Moratorium on New Humanities Study Programs

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April 28, 2026 | 09:28 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia is putting a moratorium on opening new humanities and social sciences study programs, according to Muhammad Nahic, the director of Institutional Affairs at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. The statement came amid talks of a plan to shut down existing study programs deemed irrelevant to national priorities.

"So we are not opening new study programs in the social and humanities fields, but we're not closing down existing programs either," he said in a phone interview on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

On the contrary, he said the Indonesian government is pushing universities to open study programs relevant to national priorities, such as food resilience, nutrition, and renewable energy.

The demand for experts in these fields is reportedly growing, aligning with government priority programs and the shift in trends among society.

Najib cited the growing demand for nutritionists, not only in hospitals but also for the general public, which is becoming more concerned about dietary patterns. Najib also noted the increasing demand for veterinarians due to changes in people's behavior in caring for pets.

In the process, Najib explained that campuses hoping to close a study program must submit a request to the Higher Education Services Institute (LLDIKTI) for evaluation. Approval would be granted for valid reasons, such as limited resources and the lack of students.

But the government could not close down the study programs unilaterally, Najib stressed, adding that the decision lies with the higher education institutions. "The process is bottom-up by nature, hinging on proposals from the respective higher education institutions," Najib said.

In practice, the ministry official said, universities apply for program closure if it is deemed no longer relevant. This phenomenon, according to Najib, frequently occurs in three-year diploma programs (D3), such as in Midwifery and Accounting.

As industry requirements shift to D4 or bachelor's level, D3 programs' popularity dwindles, which leads to a declining number of students. This prompted universities to request closure, he said.

Read: Indonesia to Close Study Programs Deemed Irrelevant to Industry

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