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Jakarta, 25 February 2026 – The Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP) under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia has announced the latest developments in its scholarship policy transformation, service quality enhancement, and strengthened governance and alumni supervision. These measures form part of LPDP’s broader commitment to accelerating the development of high-quality human resources (HR) in pursuit of Indonesia Emas 2045 (Golden Indonesia 2045).
Since its establishment in 2013, LPDP has delivered significant impact in advancing the quality of Indonesian talent. As of 2026, LPDP scholarships have supported 58,444 degree awardees, as well as 583,171 participants under collaborative programs with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, and 42,160 scholarship recipients through collaboration with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
In the field of research, LPDP has funded 3,861 research projects through the Research Endowment Fund, strengthening national research capacity. LPDP has also provided funding support to 23 universities to enhance institutional capacity toward achieving world-class university status, and extended assistance to 3,554 beneficiaries under the Cultural Endowment Fund to advance cultural development and heritage preservation.
The sharpening of scholarship priorities toward STEM and strategic industries is implemented through close synergy and collaboration with relevant ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology; the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education; the Ministry of Religious Affairs; and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The ultimate objective is to establish an integrated national talent pool—connecting graduates, research outputs, and industry needs in a sustainable ecosystem. These achievements demonstrate LPDP’s comprehensive role: not merely producing graduates, but strengthening Indonesia’s broader research, innovation, and cultural ecosystem.
In line with Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2021, LPDP has transformed its policy approach from one focused primarily on educational access to one centered on measurable impact. President Director of LPDP, Sudarto, emphasized that LPDP has shifted from simply expanding access to education toward an impact-oriented program. “The talents we fund must tangibly drive innovation and enhance Indonesia’s competitiveness. From 2021–2026, scholarship programs are directed more measurably toward strategic sectors, including STEM; food and maritime industries; energy; health; defense; digitalization—including artificial intelligence and semiconductors; downstream processing; manufacturing; advanced materials; entrepreneurship; and the creative industries,” Sudarto stated.
He further explained that this refined focus is intended to address global challenges, including the low researcher ratio, talent competitiveness gaps, and the urgent need to accelerate innovation in support of a knowledge-based economy. In addition to strategic prioritization, during the 2020–2025 period LPDP also accelerated access expansion by significantly increasing the number of scholarship recipients. As an illustration, the number of LPDP alumni grew from approximately 11,000 in 2019 to around 33,000 in 2025, while approximately 38,000 awardees are currently pursuing their studies. This acceleration aims to increase the proportion of master’s and doctoral degree holders to levels comparable with advanced nations.
LPDP has also strengthened its commitment to equitable access through affirmative scholarship programs, covering Papuan students, individuals from underdeveloped and remote regions, economically disadvantaged groups, persons with disabilities, and sports scholarships. These programs are designed to address educational access disparities caused by geographical, socio-economic, infrastructural, and special needs factors. LPDP provides adjusted eligibility criteria and administrative flexibility to ensure inclusivity.
To ensure academic readiness, LPDP offers language enrichment programs for all affirmative scholarship recipients, both for domestic and overseas study, enabling them to pursue their education with greater confidence and competitiveness. As of January 2026, affirmative programs have reached 14,983 recipients across 127 regencies and municipalities, reaffirming LPDP’s commitment to providing the highest possible educational opportunities for all Indonesians.
LPDP continues to strengthen supervision and governance mechanisms to ensure that scholarship recipients fulfill their obligations responsibly. Academic progress is monitored through periodic reports throughout the study period to ensure timely completion. To enforce post-study obligations, LPDP collaborates with the Directorate General of Immigration in monitoring international mobility and ensuring compliance with departure and return provisions. Close coordination is also maintained with Indonesian embassies and consulates abroad to monitor the presence and well-being of awardees during their studies.
LPDP provides a public complaint channel to facilitate reporting, verification, and follow-up on relevant information from the public, thereby promoting participatory and transparent oversight. These measures reflect LPDP’s commitment to safeguarding program integrity and ensuring that every rupiah invested through the endowment fund delivers maximum benefit for scientific advancement, talent development, and the nation’s future.
To date, LPDP alumni have contributed across strategic sectors and professions throughout Indonesia. Many have emerged as national figures, leaders in public and private institutions, academics, researchers, healthcare professionals, creative industry actors, and innovative entrepreneurs. At the regional level, LPDP alumni actively drive development initiatives—strengthening public services, creating new economic opportunities, developing locally based innovations, and empowering communities. Their presence reflects LPDP’s overarching mission: to cultivate talents capable of delivering tangible impact for national progress from Sabang to Merauke.
Regarding the cases involving alumni DS and AP, LPDP deeply regrets the actions that have caused public disappointment and hurt the sentiments of the Indonesian people. In line with the principles of accountability and integrity, LPDP is currently processing enforcement measures and sanctions in accordance with prevailing regulations, based on careful investigation and verification.
In the case of AP, LPDP has imposed sanctions in the form of an obligation to fully repay the scholarship funds received during the study period, along with additional financial penalties in the form of interest. LPDP affirms that all measures will be undertaken objectively, proportionally, and transparently. LPDP also encourages members of the public to utilize official complaint channels should they possess relevant information, as part of a shared commitment to safeguarding the credibility and public trust in the national scholarship program.
LPDP continues to strengthen its role as a catalyst for national talent development by enhancing integration among scholarships, research, and industry; developing the LPDP Talent Platform to accelerate talent absorption in priority sectors; and expanding international collaboration with leading world-class universities. LPDP remains open to constructive feedback from the public, stakeholders, and alumni to continuously improve governance, services, and program impact. Ongoing improvements are being implemented in regulatory frameworks, application systems, organizational structure, and domestic and international networks.
Through these strategies, LPDP aims to accelerate the emergence of world-class human capital that will serve as the locomotive of Indonesia’s innovation and competitiveness toward 2045.
