The Implementation of Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation Number 53 of 2023 concerning Higher Education Quality Assurance on Higher Education Governance in Indonesia

Abstract

The enactment of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation Number 53 of 2023 concerning Higher Education Quality Assurance represents a significant regulatory transformation in the governance framework of higher education institutions in Indonesia. This study examines how Regulation No. 53 of 2023 reshapes higher education governance in Indonesia, with particular attention to institutional adaptation, quality assurance implementation, and the challenges of translating regulatory requirements into institutional practice. Employing a normative juridical approach, this study analyzes Regulation No. 53 of 2023 and relevant higher education regulations and scholarly literature through statutory and conceptual approaches. The analysis argues that the new regulatory framework introduces a more flexible yet accountability-oriented quality assurance system. The analysis identifies four interconnected implementation challenges: uneven institutional readiness, disparities in administrative capacity, limited digital governance adaptation, and difficulties in aligning internal quality assurance systems with national accreditation requirements. The regulatory objectives are more likely to be achieved when implementation is supported by coherent governance arrangements, inter-institutional coordination, and stakeholder commitment. The study therefore conceptualizes Regulation No. 53 of 2023 as a strategic policy framework with the potential to move Indonesian higher education governance beyond procedural compliance toward greater adaptability, transparency, and accountability.