Higher Education as a Catalyst for Social Mobility in Indonesia

This paper investigates how tertiary education contributes to upward social mobility in Indonesia by examining both theoretical and empirical dimensions. Grounded in Raymond Boudon’s frameworks of Inequality of Educational Opportunity (IEO) and Inequality of Social Opportunity (ISO), it charts how disparities in socioeconomic status, geography, and culture mediate the pathway from university enrollment to improved life chances. Drawing on national enrollment and graduate outcome data, the analysis demonstrates that regions with narrower income gaps and stronger educational infrastructure exhibit higher rates of tertiary participation and more pronounced gains in occupational status. Conversely, persistent rural–urban divides and entrenched cultural barriers limit the mobility potential for many underrepresented groups. The paper further explores government initiatives—scholarship schemes, campus outreach programs, and regional campus expansions—that have mitigated certain barriers and offers policy recommendations to enhance equity. Ultimately, it argues that reducing structural inequalities within society not only broadens access to higher education but also amplifies its role in fostering sustained upward mobility across Indonesia’s diverse population.