Summary of "PROFESOR MASDUKI: HEGEMONI JOKOWI DI KAMPUS PUN DILANJUTKAN OLEH PRABOWO"

Interview with Prof. Masduki on Academic Freedom in Indonesian Higher Education

The video features an in-depth interview and commentary with Prof. Masduki, a media science and journalism professor from the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII). He discusses the state of academic freedom and government influence in Indonesian higher education under President Prabowo’s administration, following the Jokowi era.

Key Points and Arguments

1. Refusal to Attend Palace Meeting

Prof. Masduki firmly refused to attend a large government-organized meeting at the palace where about 1,200 academics, including 180 professors, were invited to meet President Prabowo.
His refusal was based on the event’s lack of genuine dialogue, absence of a clear agenda, and the symbolic, top-down nature of the meeting, which seemed more like a government briefing rather than an open forum for academic discourse.
The meeting was perceived as an attempt to hegemonize and control professors rather than engage with them as autonomous intellectuals.

2. Authoritarian Continuity and New Order Parallels

The authoritarian style of government-university relations seen during Jokowi’s presidency is expected to continue and possibly intensify under Prabowo.
The government holds significant influence in university leadership appointments, with a 35% voting right in rector elections at state universities, leading to politicization and lack of autonomy.
This pattern is reminiscent of the New Order era’s feudalistic and paternalistic control over academic institutions, now updated with modern tools such as digital surveillance and persecution of dissenting academics.

3. Crisis of Academic Autonomy and Freedom

Academic freedom in Indonesia is severely constrained, with universities treated more as corporate or political entities rather than independent centers of knowledge and critical thought.
Many academics self-censor or adapt due to fear of career repercussions or digital harassment.
Critical voices exist but are a small minority and often face repression.

4. Government Research Funding and Control

While the government announced increased research funding (up to 6 trillion rupiah), Prof. Masduki argues this is a double-edged sword.
Funding is tied to government-determined priorities and bureaucratic controls, serving more as an instrument of control than genuine academic empowerment.
The increase in funding does not equate to improvements in academic freedom or lecturer welfare.

5. Private Universities Also Under Government Influence

Although private universities rely more on student fees and business support, they still experience government control through accreditation, career progression systems, and regulatory frameworks.
Professors from private universities also interact with the government during their promotion processes, which is unusual compared to countries with more autonomous academic cultures.

6. Missed Opportunities and Lack of Follow-up

The January 15 palace meeting was a missed opportunity for meaningful dialogue.
Attending professors did not assertively engage or demand follow-up actions.
There was no announced plan for further meetings or concrete outcomes from the event.
Prof. Masduki suggests future dialogues should be smaller, more focused, staged, and accompanied by clear agendas and follow-up mechanisms to be effective.

7. Hope and Challenges Ahead

Despite Prabowo’s academic family background and personal interest in reading, there is little evidence so far that his administration will foster greater academic freedom or autonomy.
Fundamental issues like free education, equitable lecturer welfare, and intellectual independence remain unaddressed.
The struggle for academic autonomy is a long-term challenge, requiring a roadmap and collective effort to reposition universities as pillars of democracy and civil society, not mere instruments of economic development or political control.

8. Campus Activism and Resistance

Some universities like UII show signs of activism and critical engagement, exemplified by their chancellor’s public criticism through art and poetry.
However, such voices are limited and often face repression, including digital harassment.
The broader academic community tends to adopt coping mechanisms of adaptation and accommodation due to fear.

9. Closing Reflections

The video concludes with a call to defend academic freedom and intellectual courage as vital for the nation’s future. It warns against reform rhetoric being used to suppress criticism. True academic freedom requires campuses to be fortresses of conscience, not mouthpieces of power.

Presenters and Contributors

Prof. Masduki — Professor of Media Science and Journalism, Islamic University of Indonesia
Kang Darso — Interviewer/Host

This video critically examines the political dynamics shaping Indonesian academia under Prabowo’s presidency, highlighting concerns about authoritarianism, academic freedom, and the urgent need for genuine dialogue and institutional autonomy.