Indonesia’s new Universitas Republik Indonesia (URI) has drawn criticism from education experts and lawmakers who question its urgency, legal basis and budget. President Prabowo Subianto appointed Donny Ermawan and Yos Sunitiyoso to lead the institution. The government says URI will prepare future leaders for public service and state-owned enterprises across Indonesia.

JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s establishment of Universitas Republik Indonesia (URI) has triggered questions from education experts and lawmakers over its urgency, legal framework and institutional mandate. There are concerns about its potential cost to the state budget.

Prabowo appointed retired Air Marshal and Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto as URI governor on Wednesday, July 22. He also installed Bandung Institute of Technology academic Yos Sunitiyoso as deputy governor.

The appointments followed Presidential Decree No. 80/P/2026, according to the State Secretariat’s official announcement.

The government says URI will create a structured leadership-development system connecting high-achieving schools, universities, civil servants and state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Officials have also referred to Donny as head of the National Education Management Agency (BPPK).

Education-policy expert and Indonesian Education University professor Cecep Darmawan said the government must explain what URI will provide that existing institutions cannot.

Indonesia’s National Institute of Public Administration (LAN) already develops civil-servant competencies and conducts leadership training. The National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) prepares and strengthens national-level leadership cadres.

“Why does the government think it needs a new institution?” Cecep asked.

Education observer Totok Amin Soefijanto argued that URI could enlarge the bureaucracy and waste public funds. He said this would happen unless the government establishes a distinct, measurable mandate. He noted that Indonesia also operates numerous government academies for prospective civil servants.

Totok also expressed concern that URI could adopt an overly militarized training model under a retired senior officer.

“Although that is not always the case—some military figures have a positive mindset—the military tends to use military methods considered more disciplined and better,” he said.

Donny said the government plans to establish 10 URI campuses and place three divisions under BPPK. These are a management body for Garuda Schools, a higher-education management body and LAN.

The plan therefore proposes integrating LAN rather than simply creating a parallel institution. The government also wants to expand LAN’s mandate from civil servants to SOE employees.

URI has already trained 399 newly recruited SOE workers through the Presidential Program for Future Leaders, according to the State Secretariat.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi has compared the concept with France’s Institut national du service public. France established the INSP in 2022 to replace the École nationale d’administration. The new institution recruits and trains senior public officials, according to the French institution’s official profile.

House Commission X Deputy Chair Lalu Hadrian Irfani said lawmakers had not participated in any formal discussion about URI.

“Commission X has never discussed the establishment of Universitas Republik Indonesia, either in a meeting or through an official agenda,” Lalu said.

“We have also received no formal explanation regarding its legal basis, duties, functions or budget,” he added.

The funding question remains unresolved. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on July 23 that he still needed to examine URI’s financing mechanism. The Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said the institution would not reduce his ministry’s budget.