Opinion: Corruption in higher education is holding Indonesia back

Fistra - A scandal over unfair appointments of lecturers to the civil service should spark a broader pushback against nepotism, says MSc student Fistra Tandirerung (UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science). In Indonesian state universities, you are a second-class citizen if you are not a registered civil servant. There is no difference between the two groups' professional roles and obligations, but someone whose wages and benefits are paid by the Ministry of Education often receives a higher salary than those equally well qualified who are paid by the university, and they can look forward to a pension after retirement. It is perfectly possible for academics to cross the divide, however. Indeed, their universities are sometimes all too keen to help them do so. Every year, the government opens up new civil servant positions at each state university, based on institutional need. Anyone under the age of 35 can apply, including lecturers already at the university in question.