‘Unprecedented’ decision on minister’s PhD causes outcry

The University of Indonesia (UI) has announced it will “guide” its graduate, currently the country’s minister for energy and mineral resources, in the revision of his doctoral dissertation in line with academic standards after it came under scrutiny.

In what appears to be an about-turn on its earlier position, the university said it will not suspend Bahlil Lahadalia’s academic title of doctor, as it had announced it would in a previous statement in November 2024 after it was revealed that the minister obtained his PhD after only one year and eight months of study instead of the usual three to four years.

The PhD was awarded by UI just days before Lahadalia, who is chairman of the Golkar Party, was appointed to President Prabowo Subianto’s cabinet on 21 October last year.

“Guidance” would also be given to Lahadalia’s doctoral supervisors, UI rector Professor Heri Hermansyah said at a 7 March press conference after the rector, academic senate, board of trustees, and board of professors completed their ethics hearing on the dissertation on 4 March. It was not clear what sanctions, if any, the supervisors might face.

“We decided to provide guidance to the supervisor, co-supervisor, head of the study programme, and the student concerned, in accordance with academic standards and ethics,” Hermansyah said.

Lahadalia would also issue an apology to the UI academic community, the rector said.

Unprecedented decision

The announcement, which has sparked vigorous public reaction, is considered to be unprecedented and to apply double standards in its apparent circumvention of the strict procedures on awarding PhDs at UI: dissertations do not undergo revisions once the PhD has been awarded, academics pointed out.

“Normally, rectors, professors, or supervisors directly provide the doctoral student with correction notes on the dissertation during a closed meeting,” said Didi Apriyadi, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Economics and Business at UI. “Now they do it in a press conference, without the presence of the student referred to in the statement.”

“But many people know the reason: [it’s] because the student mentioned is special. He is a minister and a senior politician,” Apriyadi told University World News.

Speaking to the media about the university’s demand to revise his dissertation, Lahadalia said he would definitely do the revisions. “I am an UI student. I will follow the UI rules,” he said during his visit to a madrassa in Yogyakarta on 10 March.

“I received the notes for revision of my dissertation from UI. That is what I am supposed to do, and I will do it. But there is no such a thing as dissertation abrogation,” he added.

Asep Saeful Muhtadi, a communication expert at the State Islamic University of Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung (UIN SGD Bandung), said the UI clarification was understandable “because the case of Bahlil has become [one for] public consumption.

“UI leaders want to tell the public that they are doing something about the controversial case and that they uphold academic principles and ethics,” Asep told University World News.

Complaint

In October 2024, Lahadalia took part in an open dissertation interview at the Strategic and Global Studies School of the University of Indonesia (SKSG UI) on his dissertation entitled “Policy, Institution, and Governance of Fair and Sustainable Nickel Downstreaming in Indonesia”. The session was reportedly attended by a number of political figures.

He was then declared to have passed and was granted the title of doctor with cum laude status.

On 7 November, Jatam, a mining advocacy organisation that was used as the main source of the dissertation, submitted a complaint to UI, saying its name and data sources were used in the dissertation without consent.

The organisation alleged Lahadalia used another person to write the dissertation for him. “We gave data and information used in the dissertation to a researcher who did not say that she did it for Bahlil Lahadalia,” Melky Nahar, Jatam national coordinator, told University World News, adding: “This is a violation of academic regulations.”

Ethics investigation

In response to a public outcry, which included a petition by UI alumni to initiate a probe, and the claims by Jatam, UI in October set up an ethics investigation team comprising the academic senate and council of professors to scrutinise the dissertation.

In his defence, Lahadalia was quoted by the Kompas newspaper last October as saying: According to the rules, it takes at least four semesters to finish a PhD. I pursued a doctoral degree by research, which takes at least four semesters, and I’ve passed four semesters.”

He added: “I attended classes, consultations, and seminars.”

Based on the results of that investigation, UI announced its decision to invalidate the minister’s dissertation and suspend his doctor title on 14 November 2024.

“This step was taken to ensure that the implementation of education at UI is carried out professionally and is free from potential conflicts of interest," the university stated at the time.

However, UI constituted a second investigation committee headed by the rector, whose decision overruled the November decision.