Academic Career Growth in Indonesia: The Latest Guide for Public University Lecturers

SEVIMA.COM– Indonesia boasts a substantial number of lecturers across public and private universities. However, only a small percentage achieve the rank of Professor. According to the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology’s Higher Education Statistics (2022) on Indonesian public universities, just 5.430 out of 85.612 lecturers (under 7%) held the Professor title, while 28.648 (around 33%) are considered Assistant Professors. Such discrepancy highlights the need to better support lecturers in their academic career endeavors.

Becoming a lecturer in Indonesia presents both challenges and profound opportunities, with the goal of educating future generations with knowledge adapted to the times. To progress in their careers, Indonesian lecturers must engage in Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi – education, research, and community service – serving as the main components in advancing their academic careers.

Types of Lecturers

Prior to embarking on the lecturer career path, it is imperative to delineate the various types of lecturers, their respective roles, and legal entitlements. These elements serve as the foundation for this guide.

Regulations commonly employed to prescribe lecturers with career path guidelines include Indonesian Law Number 12 of 2012 pertaining to Higher Education, as well as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Decree Number 209/P/2024. 

These two regulations comprehensively define the nature of lecturers, academic positions permitted for lecturers to attain, and the procedures for achieving these positions.

Let’s break down the two main types of lecturers; permanent and non-permanent.

Permanent Lecturers

According to Government Regulation Number 37 of 2009 (Article 1, Paragraph 2) concerning Lecturers, permanent lecturers are full-time educators with official employment status at higher education institutions. As highlighted by Mayur (2024), this status provides job security, enabling lecturers to actively participate in research and institutional governance. They are also eligible for academic promotions.

There are two primary categories of permanent lecturers: 

1. Permanent Civil Servant Lecturers (dosen tetap Pegawai Negeri Sipil): Appointed through the national civil servant recruitment process (Calon Pegawai Negeri Sipil).
2. Permanent Non-Civil Servant Lecturers (dosen tetap non-Pegawai Negeri Sipil): Recruited directly by universities outside the civil servant framework.

Only permanent lecturers are eligible to obtain a National Lecturer Identification Number (Nomor Induk Dosen Nasional, or NIDN), as stipulated by the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Regulation No. 26 of 2015. The NIDN is granted exclusively to full-time lecturers who are not employed by other institutions.

According to Salmaa (2022), holding an NIDN offers several benefits, including:

1. A monthly salary and accompanying benefits,
2. Eligibility for academic promotions and structural positions,
3. Access to scholarship opportunities,
4. Qualification for lecturer certification programs, and
5. Formal recognition in proposals for new academic programs.

Non-Permanent Lecturers

Under Indonesian Law No. 14 of 2005 on Teachers and Lecturers, non-permanent lecturers are part-time educators employed on fixed-term contracts. They are recruited directly by universities without participating in the national civil servant recruitment process.

The law grants higher education institutions the autonomy to establish their own policies regarding academic positions, remuneration and employment terms, provided they remain in accordance with national regulations. For instance, the University of Indonesia implements its own guidelines concerning lecturer qualifications and contract conditions, which may differ from those of other institutions.

Given their contractual status, non-permanent lecturers are not eligible for academic promotions. Their responsibilities are limited to teaching within the duration of their contract.

Lecturer Recruitment Pathways

To pursue a career as a lecturer at a public university in Indonesia, candidates must fulfill specific educational and recruitment requirements, as stipulated in Indonesian Law No. 14 of 2005 on Teachers and Lecturers.

Educational Requirements and Qualifications

Article 46 of the law outlines the following academic qualifications:

• A master’s degree is required to teach undergraduate and diploma-level students.
• A doctoral degree is required for teaching at the graduate level.
• All academic degrees must be obtained from accredited institutions and must be relevant to the lecturer’s area of expertise.

Qualification standards may vary based on the lecturer’s employment status. Civil servant lecturers are required to meet nationally defined criteria, while non-civil servant lecturers are subject to the recruitment and qualification standards set by their respective universities.

Recruitment Process

• Permanent Civil Servant Recruitment (CPNS)

To become a permanent civil servant lecturer, candidates must participate in the national Civil Servant Recruitment process (CPNS), which is typically conducted in the second half of the year. The number of available positions varies by university and academic discipline, based on institutional needs.

The following process is based on the 2024 recruitment guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs:

Step 1: Registration

Candidates must register through the official CPNS portal at www.sscasn.bkn.go.id, complete the required forms, and upload all required documents. Applicants are advised to regularly monitor the relevant ministry’s website for updates on announcements and selection timelines.

Step 2: Administrative Screening

The committee reviews submitted documents to verify eligibility. Candidates who do not meet the criteria may file an appeal during a specified period. Those who pass proceed to the next stage.

Step 3: Basic Competency Test (Seleksi Kompetensi Dasar)

This standardized, multiple-choice test evaluates candidates’ logical reasoning, general knowledge, and understanding of national values. The top candidates – up to three times the number of available positions – advance to the next stage.

Step 4: Specialized Competency Test (Seleksi Kompetensi Bidang)

This stage assesses discipline-specific expertise through a combination of written tests, interviews, and microteaching sessions. Final selection is based on cumulative scores. A limited window is provided for appeals regarding the outcome.

For instance, in 2024, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced an opening for a permanent lecturer position at Universitas Islam Negeri Salatiga with a specialization in Sharia Economic Law, as detailed in official document No. P-3103/SJ/B.II.1/KP.00.1/08/2024.

• University-Level Recruitment

In addition to the national CPNS process, public universities in Indonesia also conduct independent recruitment for permanent non-civil servant lecturers and non-permanent lecturers. These positions are tailored to the specific needs of each institution. As stipulated in Indonesian Law No. 14 of 2005 on Teachers and Lecturers, universities are granted the authority to establish their own recruitment procedures. Accordingly, applicants should consult the official announcements of individual universities, as requirements and processes may vary.

Step 1: Registration

Candidates must apply through the university’s designated recruitment portal, submitting all required documents within the specified timeframe.

Step 2: Administrative Screening

The university conducts an initial review of applications to verify eligibility. Successful applicants proceed to the evaluation stage.

Step 3: The Test Period

Each university determines its own selection mechanisms, which may include:

• Basic and Specialized Competency Tests (modeled after the CPNS format)
• Interviews, psychological tests, or microteaching sessions

For example, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) includes interviews with university leadership as part of its 2024 recruitment process (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, 2024), whereas Universitas Gadjah Mada does not include such interviews in its 2024 guidelines. (Universitas Gadjah Mada, 2024).

Final selection is based on the cumulative scores from all stages of the process. Recruitment outcomes are announced through each university’s official communication channels.

Lecturer Career Advancement

After meeting the qualifications to teach at public universities in Indonesia, lecturers may pursue career advancement through established national and institutional pathways. 

Transitioning from Non-Permanent to Permanent Lecturer

Non-permanent lecturers may transition to permanent status through one of two primary pathways.

• From Non-Permanent Lecturer to Permanent Civil Servant Lecturer

Lecturers must apply through the national Civil Servant Recruitment (CPNS) via https://sscasn.bkn.go.id. The application process follows the standards CPNS procedures, including registration, administrative screening, and competency assessments. Recruitment openings and timelines are determined by national policy and institutional needs.

• From Non-Permanent Lecturer to Permanent Non-Civil Servant Lecturer

Alternatively, non-permanent lecturers may apply directly to public universities for permanent non-civil servant positions. These opportunities are announced through each university’s official channels. In some cases, universities may encourage or invite existing non-permanent lecturers to apply when relevant vacancies arise.

Career Progression via SISTER

Indonesia’s Integrated Resource Information System, known as SISTER (Sistem Informasi Sumberdaya Terintegrasi), is the official platform used to manage lecturer data, including records of teaching activities, research output, community engagement, and academic portfolios (Universitas Mercu Buana, n.d.). It also functions as the central system for submitting and tracking academic promotion applications.

Under Indonesian Law Number 12 of 2012 on Higher Education, permanent lecturers are classified into four academic ranks. According to the Research, Technology, and Higher Education Ministerial Decree Number 164/M/KPT/2019, these ranks, along with their English equivalents, are as follows: 

Lecturers typically begin at the ‘lecturer’ title, and may progress through the ranks by fulfilling the required academic, research, and service obligations. Each promotion requires the accumulation of a minimum number of credit points (angka kredit), as stipulated by the Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Regulation Number 17 of 2013.

The promotion process is closely tied to the principles of the Tridharma perguruan tinggi, namely teaching, research, and community service. Promotion to Associate Professor requires the publication of research in reputable academic journals. Meanwhile, to attain the Professor rank, candidates must demonstrate research and innovation, supervise doctoral students, and contribute to institutional development. 

All promotion requirements must be documented and submitted through the SISTER platform to ensure consistency, transparency, and compliance with national standards.

The minimum cumulative credit score requirement for the appointment and promotion of academic positions/ranks for lecturers with a Master’s degree (S2)