UI suspends Lahadalia's PhD due to integrity issues

Jakarta (ANTARA) –
The University of Indonesia (UI) decided on Wednesday to suspend the doctorate awarded to Bahlil Lahadalia, who is currently Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) in Prabowo Subianto’s government.

“UI apologizes to the public for the issues related to BL (Lahadalia), a student of a doctoral program (S3) at the School of Strategic and Global Studies (SKSG),” UI stated in a press release following the results of a 4 Organ Coordination meeting.

The award of the doctorate to Lahadalia, who is also the chairman of the Golkar Party, attracted public attention because he completed his doctoral program in less than two years.

The minister received his doctorate after one year and eight months, instead of the usual three or four years required to complete doctoral studies at the prestigious university.

He obtained his PhD cum laude from the School of Strategic and Global Studies.

However, Lahadalia’s article has come under scrutiny, with much speculation that it was the result of ‘joki’ services, where someone is paid to complete academic assignments on behalf of someone else.

UI, one of Indonesia’s largest universities, revealed that it has conducted an in-depth review of the governance of the doctoral program (S3) at SKSG, where Lahadalia graduated and awarded him a doctorate on October 16, 2024, “as a pledge to enhance the academic quality and integrity.”

The university’s research team, consisting of the Academic Senate and the Council of Professors, conducted an audit of the doctoral program at SKSG – from student admission to the examination process.

Based on the investigation, UI has decided to temporarily suspend acceptance of new students into the SKSG doctoral program until a comprehensive audit of the program’s governance and academic processes is completed.

The UI Board of Professors will also hold an ethics hearing regarding possible violations committed while supervising doctoral students.

“This step was taken to ensure that the implementation of education at UI is conducted professionally and free from potential conflicts of interest,” the university said.

“Considering the steps taken by UI, BL’s graduation from the SKSG doctoral program (S3) has been suspended,” the university added, informing that further action will follow the ethics hearing’s decision.