“Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in Indonesia

The university admission selection system in Indonesia has gone through significant transformations from the colonial era to the present. This research analyses the transformation of Indonesia’s university admission selection system from the colonial era to the present. It uses a narrative approach...

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Main Authors: Imanudin Kudus, Heru Nurasa, Ida Widianingsih, Nina Karlina, Jayum Anak Jawan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2474292
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author Imanudin Kudus
Heru Nurasa
Ida Widianingsih
Nina Karlina
Jayum Anak Jawan
author_facet Imanudin Kudus
Heru Nurasa
Ida Widianingsih
Nina Karlina
Jayum Anak Jawan
author_sort Imanudin Kudus
collection DOAJ
description The university admission selection system in Indonesia has gone through significant transformations from the colonial era to the present. This research analyses the transformation of Indonesia’s university admission selection system from the colonial era to the present. It uses a narrative approach and organisational change theory to identify the dynamics, challenges and opportunities in each phase of development. Starting from social discrimination during the colonial era, the shift to a military-based education system during the Japanese occupation, to decentralisation and digitalisation in the reform era and the present. The research findings show that the transformation of the selection system reflects not only technical changes, but also changes in social, political and economic values in the context of higher education. Nowadays, technologies such as the Computer-Based Written Test (Ujian Tertulis Berbasis Komputer/UTBK) accelerate the transparency and efficiency of selection. However, challenges such as disparities in access, quality of human resources, and relevance of the curriculum to the labour market remain key issues. This research suggests evidence-based strategies to improve the higher education selection system, including technology enhancement, access equity, and collaboration between universities, industry, and government to build an inclusive, competitive, and globally relevant higher education system.
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id doaj-art-e27dc29343474659851fba116d0af083
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publishDate 2025-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series Cogent Education
spelling doaj-art-e27dc29343474659851fba116d0af0832025-08-20T02:38:10ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2025-12-0112110.1080/2331186X.2025.2474292“Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in IndonesiaImanudin Kudus0Heru Nurasa1Ida Widianingsih2Nina Karlina3Jayum Anak Jawan4Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, IndonesiaDepartment of Public Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, IndonesiaDepartment of Public Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, IndonesiaDepartment of Public Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, IndonesiaDepartment Government & Civilisation Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, MalaysiaThe university admission selection system in Indonesia has gone through significant transformations from the colonial era to the present. This research analyses the transformation of Indonesia’s university admission selection system from the colonial era to the present. It uses a narrative approach and organisational change theory to identify the dynamics, challenges and opportunities in each phase of development. Starting from social discrimination during the colonial era, the shift to a military-based education system during the Japanese occupation, to decentralisation and digitalisation in the reform era and the present. The research findings show that the transformation of the selection system reflects not only technical changes, but also changes in social, political and economic values in the context of higher education. Nowadays, technologies such as the Computer-Based Written Test (Ujian Tertulis Berbasis Komputer/UTBK) accelerate the transparency and efficiency of selection. However, challenges such as disparities in access, quality of human resources, and relevance of the curriculum to the labour market remain key issues. This research suggests evidence-based strategies to improve the higher education selection system, including technology enhancement, access equity, and collaboration between universities, industry, and government to build an inclusive, competitive, and globally relevant higher education system.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2474292Transformationeducation systemhigher education entrance selectionindonesiaSocial sciencesdevelopment studies
spellingShingle Imanudin Kudus
Heru Nurasa
Ida Widianingsih
Nina Karlina
Jayum Anak Jawan
“Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in Indonesia
Cogent Education
Transformation
education system
higher education entrance selection
indonesia
Social sciences
development studies
title “Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in Indonesia
title_full “Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in Indonesia
title_fullStr “Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in Indonesia
title_full_unstemmed “Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in Indonesia
title_short “Learning from the past, to improve the future”: content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in Indonesia
title_sort learning from the past to improve the future content analysis of the transition of the higher education system in indonesia
topic Transformation
education system
higher education entrance selection
indonesia
Social sciences
development studies
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2474292
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