Internationalisation and the precarity of academic work in Indonesian universities

The advent of neoliberalism and globalisation has transformed the landscape of Indonesian higher education into one based on utilitarian principles. Consequently, all academic work has become uniform, and is measured and controlled under procedures and mechanisms to ensure the mission of internationalisation. The goal of internationalisation is the development of world-class universities that produce quality, world-class research, international publications with excellent metrics, good global rankings, and employ outstanding foreign professors. Academics and their career advancement are regulated under these mechanisms, with the result that their work is more precarious. This chapter examines how Indonesia’s academic labour market has been impacted by its engagement in the international knowledge system. It discusses aspects of the origins of the university system and international influences; the academic labour market; the work of academics; equity in employment; and current issues and challenges faced by academics in Indonesia. © The Editor and Contributors Severally 2024. All rights reserved.