Top Indonesian university confirms minister’s doctoral degree amid controversy over short duration of studies

JAKARTA: Amid an uproar on social media over an Indonesian minister’s credentials from a top-ranking local university, the institution has sought to clarify that he has “fulfilled all administrative and academic requirements” needed to graduate from the doctoral programme.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia had also met the “publication requirements” needed to graduate from its research programme, the University of Indonesia (UI) said in a press statement on Monday (Oct 21).

“(Mr) Bahlil has followed and completed all the stages required for all students in the research pathway at the School of Strategic and Global Studies,” the university said in its statement, adding that the minister had joined the programme in 2022. 

Local media reported that Mr Bahlil’s graduation from the doctoral programme on Oct 16 courted controversy due to the short length of time that he took to graduate. 

He had completed his studies at the university’s School of Strategic and Global Studies within a year and eight months instead of the usual three years. 

Over the weekend, UI law professor and board chair Harkristuti Harkrisnowo told local media that the university’s board of professors had established a team “to look further into the alleged irregularities of the case”.

This came after a group of UI alumni began a petition on Oct 17 on change.org – the world’s largest petition platform – demanding the formation of an independent team to launch a full investigation into the alleged commercialisation of Mr Bahlil’s degree. 

The petition demanded the university – ranked first in the country according to the QS World University Rankings 2024 – to revoke Mr Bahlil’s degree should investigations find that it was indeed awarded through violation of prevailing regulations. 

As of Oct 22, the petition has over 9,700 signatures.

Meanwhile, Mr Bahlil’s doctoral degree had also sparked outrage on social media.

“UI is highly regarded for producing the nation’s exceptional students. Don’t compromise that just for political interests, said X user @kiky_nih on Oct 18. 

“(Mr) Bahlil made history by attaining a doctorate in UI in less than two years,” said another X user @cakkhum, with the post garnering over 6,500 interactions.

UI on Monday pointed out that Mr Bahlil is not the first student to graduate in less than two years, while cautioning the public against spreading misinformation.

“Regarding the study period, (Mr) Bahlil, who started studying in 2022, has completed four semesters. It should also be noted that before Mr Bahlil, UI awarded a doctoral degree to student Dr Sugeng Purwanto within 13 months and 26 days … ,” the university said.

“UI seeks to emphasise the importance of exercising caution and cross-checking information so that the public receives the correct information.”

Earlier, UI’s head of public relations Amelita Lusia on Oct 17 said that Mr Bahlil had adhered to the university’s bylaw established in 2016 which stated that while the doctoral programme is designed to be completed within six semesters, it is possible to complete it in four semesters. 

“With this doctoral degree, Mr Bahlil Lahadalia also strengthens his position as a leader who is not only oriented towards policy development, but also has a deep mastery of sustainable resource governance,” she said, as quoted by local media Kompas.

Mr Bahlil’s dissertation highlighted the growth of Indonesia’s nickel downstreaming industry, while emphasising the reliance of the industry on foreign workers to accelerate progress, amid a finding that using local workers could sometimes slow down operations. 

Mr Bahlil was on Oct 20 revealed to be a part of President Prabowo Subianto’s “Red and White” cabinet. 

He had held the same position – as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources – since August 2024 under Mr Prabowo’s predecessor, Mr Joko Widodo. Prior to that, he was the country’s Investment Minister since April 2021. 

ISSUE OF QUESTIONABLE DEGREES IN INDONESIA 

According to local media The Jakarta Post, the uproar concerning Mr Bahlil’s degree occurred amid claims that academics and politicians have been allegedly violating academic ethics by publishing papers in problematic journals to gain professorships.

In July, 11 faculty members at Lambung Mangkurat University in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, were mired in a controversy after an anonymous whistleblower reported them for publishing papers in so-called predatory publications. 

These publications typically operate on a pay-to-publish basis with minimal peer review and an acceptance rate of nearly 100 per cent where the journal or publisher prioritises self-interest at the expense of scholarship.

Such practices allegedly helped them fulfil one of the requirements to apply for a professorial degree, that of having published at least one paper in an academic journal, BBC Indonesia reported.  

A magazine report by another local media Tempo also accused politicians – including Gerindra Party executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Golkar’s Bambang Soesatyo – of earning their professorships by publishing papers in such predatory journals. Both have denied the allegations according to The Jakarta Post.