Depok, October 22, 2025 — The Undergraduate Program in Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia (FEB UI) successfully held another session of the Brown Bag Seminar Series (BBSS) as part of its ongoing effort to broaden students’ academic insights into current national economic issues.
This seminar carried the theme “Analysis of Indonesia’s State Budget Structure and Demographic Dynamics: A Long-Term Fiscal Sustainability (LTFS) Perspective.” The event took place at the Mini Auditorium of the Department of Economics, FEB UI, from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. (WIB).
Speaker and Moderator
The seminar featured Irsyan Maududy, S.E., M.Ec, Analyst at the Office of the Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, as the keynote speaker.
The discussion was moderated by Reyhan Muhammad Hatta, a member of the Research Division of Kanopi and Teaching Assistant of the Undergraduate Program in Economics, who also served as the discussant for the session.
Discussion Highlights
In his presentation, Irsyan Maududy emphasized the importance of fiscal policy as the backbone of Indonesia’s economic development. He explained that the current fiscal stance tends to be expansionary and pro-growth, focusing on maintaining stability while promoting equitable economic growth.
Irsyan also highlighted several long-term challenges faced by the government, such as the rising debt interest burden, which now reaches approximately IDR 600 trillion per year, as well as increasing pension obligations for civil servants (ASN) and the deficit in BPJS Kesehatan (the national health insurance agency). According to him, these factors could potentially narrow the government’s fiscal space and reduce policy flexibility in the long run.
Moreover, he pointed out the declining national tax ratio trend, underscoring the need for tax reform and improved governance in revenue management to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability.
Academic–Practical Collaboration
The seminar served as a platform for students to understand the interrelation between macro-fiscal indicators and demographic dynamics within the context of public policy. By combining academic perspectives with practical insights, this activity aimed to deepen students’ understanding of Long-Term Fiscal Sustainability (LTFS) and its relevance to Indonesia’s economic development.
Part of the Academic Enrichment Program
The Brown Bag Seminar Series is a regular academic enrichment program initiated by Dr. Titissari, S.E., M.T., M.Sc., Head of the Undergraduate Program in Economics (Regular), FEB UI.
The seminar is open to all students of the Economics Study Program — from undergraduate to doctoral levels — with the goal of fostering critical thinking, encouraging academic discussion, and linking economic theory with real-world economic conditions in Indonesia.
