Examining public value toward vocational education in Indonesia: a strategic triangle analysis
- Research
- Published:
- Volume 6, article number 400 (2026)
- Cite this article
- Ida Hayu Dwimawanti ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0000-7548-0801 1 ,
- Annisa Hasibuan 2 &
- Yarra Waninda Permanasari 2
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Abstract
Vocational higher education in Indonesia faces weak social legitimacy, limited prestige, and misalignment with labour market transformation. Therefore, this study aims to examine how public values are developed in vocational higher education in Indonesia by using the Strategic Triangle as an analytical framework. By applying a qualitative method through document analysis of 21 policy documents, regulations, statistical reports, and institutional sources, the findings show that societal preferences remain concentrated on universities and government-affiliated academies because both are perceived to offer stronger credentials, career prospects, and social prestige. Regime changes also show relatively slow progress in developing public value for vocational higher education, while the operational capacity of vocational higher education institutions remains dominated by an Industry 2.0-based skills orientation, and therefore is not yet fully adaptive to the demands of Industry 5.0 globally. To create public value for vocational higher education, structured policy interventions, broad industry involvement, and institutional capacity that supports the formation of legitimacy are required. This study extends the Strategic Triangle of Public Value into the context of vocational higher education in developing countries by identifying differential velocity as a condition in which public value, operational capacity, and political legitimacy develop at different speeds.
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Dwimawanti, I.H., Hasibuan, A. & Permanasari, Y.W. Examining public value toward vocational education in Indonesia: a strategic triangle analysis. SN Soc Sci 6, 400 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-026-01692-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-026-01692-2
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