Administrative and Environmental Law Review
Vol 7 No 2 (2026)

Capitalization and Commercialization of Accreditation in the Higher Education Services Industry

Firdaus Firdaus (Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa)
Ferry Fathurokhman (Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa)
Zulkarnain Ridlwan (Universitas Lampung)
Abdul Rahman Abdul Latip (Universiti Malaysia Terengganu)
Muh Farhan Arfandy (Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa)



Article Info

Publish Date
07 Aug 2026

Abstract

This article critically examines the capitalization and commercialization of higher education accreditation in Indonesia. It argues that the transfer of accreditation responsibilities to Independent Accreditation Agencies (LAMs) has shifted quality assurance from a constitutional public function toward a market-oriented model. Using normative legal research with a comparative approach, the study analyzes the implications of Law No. 20 of 2003 and Law No. 12 of 2012 for the state's constitutional responsibility to guarantee the right to education. It finds that the current regulatory framework weakens state accountability and increases the financial burden on higher education institutions through accreditation fees, costs that may ultimately be passed on to students, thereby limiting equitable access to quality education. This approach contrasts with the accreditation systems in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, where quality assurance is primarily funded by the state as a public responsibility. The article concludes that Indonesia should restore accreditation as a transparent, non-profit, and publicly financed quality assurance mechanism to strengthen the state's constitutional obligation to provide equitable and accessible higher education.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

aelr

Publisher

Subject

Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

The Administrative and Environmental Law Review is a journal published by the Faculty of Law, Universitas Lampung. Established in, the Administrative and Environmental Law Review aims to distribute scientific research and discusses in state administration law and environmental law in Indonesia, ...