2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Are We Independent Yet? An Examination of the Implementation of “Independent Learning Independent Campus” Initiative in Indonesia from 2020 to 2025

Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM), which translates to Independent Learning Independent Campus, is a national policy enacted to govern higher education institutions (HEIs) in Indonesia. Originally enacted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in 2020, the stated purpose of MBKM is to prepare university graduates to face rapid changes in social, cultural, workplace, and technology in the 4th industrial revolution era and sustain the continued growth of the nation. MBKM aims to expand academic freedom for students to pursue academic activities outside their study program and strengthen collaborations between all stakeholders in Indonesian higher education. In this paper, we conducted exploratory textual analysis of MBKM policy’s stated main components, stated aims, and relevant stakeholders. Then we conducted text analysis on the implementation of MBKM policy from the year 2020 to 2025, focusing on key metrics such as the national education attainment rate and MBKM participation rate from both students and institutions. We presented the results of our analysis, discussed possible issues in the implementation, and proposed recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the MBKM policy enactment in Indonesia.

Authors

Mr. Alfa Satya Putra http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0540-5819 Purdue University – West Lafayette (College of Engineering) [biography]

Alfa Satya Putra is a PhD candidate at School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. He has Bachelor's and Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University. Before joining the PhD program, Alfa has served as a lecturer in Indonesia. Alfa is mainly interested in investigating the implementation of reflective activities in large classrooms and assessing how reflective activities affect student learning and academic performance.
Mrs. Fadhla Binti Junus http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0181-997X Purdue Engineering Education [biography]

A former Assistant Professor and Tenured Lecturer in Information Technology at the Department of Science and Technology, State Islamic University Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the School of Engineering Education, Purdue University, Indiana, USA. Her research uniquely combines industry experience with academic expertise, focusing on technology-enhanced learning. Specifically, her work centers around developing personalized learning environments for higher education students studying computer programming. She is particularly interested in investigating students' programming learning processes, exploring methods to simplify programming instruction, examining theoretical foundations for effective instructional design, and integrating artificial intelligence technologies to facilitate peer-like knowledge construction.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

For those interested in:

Academia-Industry Connections
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