Towards Societal Relevance? Unpacking the Arrangements of Knowledge Flow in a Private University in Indonesia

The paper investigates the ways in which private university can contribute to the local community and private sector in terms of knowledge flow. It presents an organisational sociological study of a university located in the suburb of Jakarta. President University, the organisational case study, is a young and promising private university. Studies on university in Indonesia have been focused mainly on state universities. State universities in Indonesia and in Malaysia may well receive funding for its operation from the government. In contradistinction to state university, private university is usually self-reliant and primarily focused on teaching. Organisational study of how and in what ways, a private university can contribute to the knowledge base in Indonesia is under-researched. The study is based on qualitative interviews, participant observation, numerous informal discussions, focus group discussion, and documentary study in 2011-2017. It will delve into social practices within an organisation in its knowledge production and knowledge flow. The latter is shown in the functioning of a business incubator. The initiative of business incubator itself emanated from the central government i.e., Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education in Indonesia. Whilst the idea to establish President University itself came from an entrepreneur who had a vision of developing an education park in the suburb of Jakarta. Taking into account these facts, the paper will highlight findings of how knowledge flow is arranged in its social practices and the kind of contribution it provides to the society.