Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Teguh Dartanto, a member of the advisory committee responsible for overseeing Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia’s doctoral studies, has defended the awarding of the degree amidst growing public scrutiny. Teguh assured the public that Minister Bahlil doctorate was earned in full compliance with academic requirements.
In a statement reported by Tempo.co, Teguh rejected allegations questioning the legitimacy of Bahlil’s degree. He emphasized that Bahlil met all the criteria for obtaining his doctorate from Univesity of Indonesia (UI) School of Strategic and Global Studies (SKSG).
Teguh asserted that Bahlil graduated with a Master’s degree in Economics from Cendrawasih University in 2009, making him eligible to enroll in the doctoral program at UI’s School of Strategic and Global Studies (SKSG). He confirmed that Bahlil’s academic records, including his Master’s degree, were verified through UI’s system.
Regarding the brief duration of Bahlil’s doctoral studies, Teguh explained that Bahlil had completed all the necessary requirements to proceed to the final dissertation stage. He emphasized that the SKSG program focuses more on practical solutions rather than theoretical studies. Teguh also mentioned that he personally accompanied Bahlil during field data collection.
“Bahlil has completed four semesters in his doctoral program, in accordance with Rector’s Regulation No. 26/2022, making him eligible to advance to the dissertation stage,” Teguh stated.
Teguh also dismissed accusations that Bahlil had used predatory journals—publications that bypass rigorous peer review—to meet the publication requirements for his degree.
“Bahlil met the publication requirements with three papers: one in an internationally recognized journal (Scopus-Journal of ASEAN Studies), one in a SINTA 2 journal (Review of Accounting and Finance), and one in proceedings that could be upgraded to SINTA 2 (Journal of Business and Management Applications),” Teguh explained.
UI Alumni Protest Doctorate Degree of Minister Bahlil, Over 6,000 Sign Petition!
In response to allegations of plagiarism, Teguh firmly denied any wrongdoing. He said that Bahlil’s dissertation underwent thorough scrutiny using plagiarism detection software Turnitin, revealing low similarity scores across multiple checks.
“I personally conducted a double-check of the document submitted to SKSG, which showed a 4% similarity. I rechecked using Turnitin at the Faculty of Economics and Business, and it showed 2%. The student also checked using their own Turnitin subscription, which indicated an 8% similarity,” Teguh noted, dismissing claims of plagiarism.
University and Alumni Response
Responding to the controversy surrounding Minister Bahlil doctoral degree, UI’s Academic Senate and the Council of Professors has prompted an investigation. On October 19, 2024, Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, Chairperson of UI’s Council of Professors, confirmed the formation of an investigative team to examine the case.
“We have formed an investigation team in collaboration with the Academic Senate,” Harkristuti said. The team will conduct an academic audit of the SKSG program, focusing on Bahlil’s acceptance into the doctoral program, the academic process he followed, and the publication of his research in international journals.
Additionally, the controversy also sparked outrage among UI alumni, some of whom suspect that Bahlil’s degree was awarded through commercialized academic practices. Alumni have initiated a petition on Change.org demanding the revocation of Bahlil’s doctoral degree. As of today, October 23, the petition has garnered over 12,000 signatures and continues to gain momentum.
Although Teguh Dartanto has defended the allegations surrounding Bahlil’s doctorate, the case has cast a spotlight on academic integrity within Indonesia’s higher education system, drawing attention to broader concerns about the commercialization of advanced degrees.
(Raidi/Agung)
