Universitas Mercu Buana

The History of Universitas Mercu Buana

H. Probosutedjo, a businessman, had his experience as a teacher in Perguruan Taman Siswa, Pematang Siantar, North Sumatera. On 10 November 1981, he established Akademi Wiraswata Dewantara / Dewantara Entrepreneur Academy. Its inauguration was carried out by late Mr. H. Adam Malik, the vice President of Indonesia at that time. Dewantara was taken from the name of a national education figure, Ki Hajar Dewantara. The mission of this academy was to develop education model which created entrepreneur with national ideology (Pancasilais) and to create agents of development who were able to create job opportunities.

Before having its own campus, the implementation of teaching and learning process was conducted in Gedung Yayasan Tenaga Kerja Indonesia /Indonesia Labor Foundation Building on Gatot Subroto street. In 1984, Yayasan Menara Bhakti / Menara Bhakti Foundation successfully established a camous named Menara Bhakti Campus, located in South Meruya, Kembangan, West Jakarta.

In 1985, with the ability and experience to conduct teaching and learning process in Dewantara Entrepreneur Academy, there was an idea to build a university. With the decree of the head of Menara Bhakti Foundation No 04/SKEP/KET/VI/1985 dated June 12, 1985, then the committee of University Establishment was created, led by Dr. Sri Edi Swasono and helped by late H. Abdul Madjid, late Drs. Iman Santosa Sukardi, Drs. M. Enoch Markum, Ir. Suharyadi, M.S., Soekarno and late Prijo S. Parwoto.

• H.R Probosutedjo (The Founding Father of Universitas Mercu Buana)
• Hj. Ratmani Probosutedjo (The Chairman of Menara Bhakti Foundation)

After passing through the preparation of establishment and feasibility study, with decree No 010/KET/YMB/VI/85 on June 12th 1985, the foundation proposed permission application to establish Universitas Mercu Buana to Indonesia’s Region III Coordinator of Private Higher Education Institutions. Based on the letter No 15/KOP.III/S.VI/85 signed by the late Prof. Dr. Boesjra Zahir, on 18 June 1985, Indonesia’s Region III Coordinator of Private Higher Education Institutions agreed and gave the ‘Operations” permission of the establishment of Universitas Mercu Buana.

On 22 October 1985, Universitas Mercu Buana was officially established with the following schools:

1. School of Engineering
   • Architecture Department and Civil Engineering Department
2. School of Agriculture
   • Socio-Economic Agriculture (Agro Business) Department and Agricultural Cultivation (Agronomy) Department
3. School of Economics
   • Management Department and Accounting Department

One year later, based on the evaluation of Indonesia’s Region III Coordinator of Private Higher Education Institutions, all six department received the status of “Registered” from the Minister of Education and Culture, based on the decree No 0507/0/1986. Many important and strategic efforts were continuously conducted. Step by step, in line with those efforts, Universitas Mercu Buana improved its facilities. Because of its hard work and strong commitment, during the Dies Natalis VI on May 30th 1991, based on the decree of Minister of Education and Culture No 0286/05/1191, Universitas Mercu Buana achieved the status of “Accredited”, for:

1. School of Engineering
   • Civil Engineering Department, Architecture Engineering Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department
2. School of Agriculture
   • Agro Business Department, Agronomy Department and Agricultural Mechanization Department
3. School of Economics
   • Management Department, Accounting Department, and Diploma Program of Corporate Management

In anticipating the decree of Minister of Education and Culture number 0686/U/1991 which required that every university must have at least three exact schools and two social schools, then, Universitas Mercu Buana prepared its feasibility study to develop new schools and departments. Therefore, in academic year 1994/1995, Universitas Mercu Buana had five schools, which were School of Engineering, School of Agriculture, School of Economy, School of Communication Sciences, and School of Computer Sciences with total of thirteen departments.

Since the academic year 1997/1998, based on the decree of National Accreditation Board number 001/BAN-PT/AK-1/VIII/1998 on 11 August 1998, and number 008/BAN-PT/AK-IV/VI/2000 special for School of Communication Sciences and Informatics Engineering, achieved “Accredited” status after being evaluated in 2003 by National Accreditation Board for Higher Education.

In the early academic year of 1999/2000, Universitas Mercu Buana established a graduate degree. The first department opened was Master of Management program. According to the decree of Higher Education – Ministry of National Education number 30/DIKTI/KEP/2000, the Master of Management program is divided into some majors: Human Resources Management, Financial Management, and Marketing Management.

Currently, the master degree program has seven departments, which are Master of Management, Master of Communication Sciences, Master of Industrial Engineering, Master of Electrical Engineering, Master of Accounting, Master of Civil Engineering and Master of Mechanical Engineering. In 2016, Universitas Mercu Buana also established the first Doctoral Degree, which was Doctor of Management Program.