INDONESIA

Government to curb radicalism at universities

Higher Education Minister Mohamad Nasir announced a plan last week to meet with the heads of public universities towards the end of this month to coordinate efforts aimed at preventing radicalism on Indonesian campuses, reports the Jakarta Globe.

“We will discuss ways to tackle radicalism and intolerance on campus, what the implementation would look like, and how rectors can help address the issue and coordinate their respective deans to approach the issue comprehensively," Nasir said, as reported by BeritaSatu.com. He added that rectors must conduct a thorough verification process on their alumni and pay close attention to those still active on campus.

According to the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), several public universities are exposed to radicalism. These include the University of Indonesia in Depok, West Java; Bandung Institute of Technology in West Java; University of Brawijaya in Malang, East Java; Diponegoro University in Semarang, Central Java; and Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java. The Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education will work closely with relevant institutions, including the BNPT, to prevent radicalism on campus, the minister said.
Full report on the Jakarta Globe site