UNDIP, Semarang (11/8) – Universities should be more than places where academic theories and ideas are developed. With their wealth of knowledge and diverse expertise, universities also have a strategic role in overseeing public policy, ensuring that the law goes beyond formal certainty to deliver justice, dignity, and tangible benefits to society.
This view was expressed by Professor of Legislation at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), Prof. Dr. Lita Tyesta Addy Listya Wardhani, S.H., M.Hum. In a discussion, she explored the strategic role of academics in overseeing the legislative process while bridging the gap between legal texts and the realities of people’s lives.
According to Prof. Lita, noble law must be rooted in the interests of the people. Drafting regulations should not be limited to administrative discussions of legal norms and articles, but should also consider societal needs and their impact on social, economic, political, and environmental life. “The law must not be confined to the structure of legal articles. The norms formulated in legislation must be oriented toward the interests of the people,” she said.
From this perspective, she believes UNDIP has academic resources from various disciplines that can contribute to the legislative process. To date, experts have been involved in research, the preparation of academic papers, policy evaluation, and the provision of expert opinions. However, these contributions have often been carried out individually.
She therefore encouraged the establishment of a regulatory advocacy platform to bring together academics’ perspectives as UNDIP’s institutional voice. Institutionally prepared studies, she argued, would have a stronger position to be heard and considered by policymakers. Such an advocacy platform should be built through interdisciplinary collaboration. Drafting regulations is not solely the responsibility of legal experts, as their substance may involve politics, economics, technology, the environment, health, and social life.
Collaboration among faculties can produce more comprehensive policy recommendations, policy briefs, and analytical studies. In this way, regulations can be not only legally sound but also relevant to society’s needs and circumstances.
In her view, three important pillars need to be maintained to ensure that the law is truly dignified and beneficial, from the drafting stage through to implementation. The first pillar is meaningful public participation. Prof. Lita described participation as the lifeblood of law. Without meaningful participation, regulations can lose their connection with the communities that will be directly affected by the policies.
“Participation should not be understood merely as inviting the public to formal forums. Public voices must be heard (right to be heard), considered (right to be considered), and explained the follow-up (right to be explained). In this way, public involvement does not become an administrative ceremony, but an essential part of the democratic process,” she continued.
The second pillar focuses on regulatory harmonization and legal certainty. Prof. Lita highlighted the continued existence of overlapping regulations, both between institutions and across sectors. Such conditions can create confusion, weaken law enforcement, hinder public services, and reduce public trust in the state.
The third pillar places social justice, gender justice, and ecological protection as fundamental principles. For Prof. Lita, regulations must address societal issues from a broader perspective. This is where universities have significant strength, as they possess diverse expertise across disciplines. Law does not stand alone. It intersects with economics, politics, information technology, the environment, society, culture, gender studies, and people’s everyday lives. “When we talk about regulations, it is not solely a matter for legal experts. Their substance affects many sectors, so cross-disciplinary collaboration is extremely important,” she explained.
During the discussion, Prof. Lita also emphasized the need for the university’s voice to emerge as an institutional force. Many UNDIP academics have contributed to various policy forums, but they have often acted in their individual capacities. If these inputs are consolidated as institutional perspectives, their bargaining position would be stronger and their benefits more far-reaching.
She cited discussions on strategic issues such as the Election Bill, Asset Forfeiture Bill, and Regional Government Bill, which require interdisciplinary analysis. These issues cannot be adequately examined from a purely legal perspective. The Election Bill, for example, also requires insights from political science, governance, information technology, public communication, and an understanding of societal behavior. “If the input comes on behalf of UNDIP as an institution, its position will be stronger. It is no longer just an individual perspective, but the university’s collective thinking,” she said.
Furthermore, Prof. Lita envisions that campus-based legal advocacy could develop in various forms, including legal clinics, intellectual property rights assistance, regulatory studies, policy briefs, and collaboration with the House of Representatives (DPR), People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), regional governments, and other public institutions. Through these efforts, UNDIP would not only contribute within the academic sphere but also help bridge societal needs and the policymaking process.
In discussing the relationship between law and society, Prof. Lita highlighted the phenomenon whereby justice receives attention only after an issue goes viral. In her view, universities should serve as an early warning system. Higher education institutions need to engage before problems escalate, provide input from the planning stage, and ensure that the law remains oriented toward the public interest. “Ideally, the law should lead to public welfare. Universities can serve as a moral compass for those in power and protect people’s rights through constitutional channels,” Prof. Lita said.
Student involvement is equally important. Prof. Lita reminded law students not to view their studies merely as course material or preparation for a profession. Social awareness, intellectual responsibility, and the ability to understand societal issues need to develop during their studies. Legal debates, legislative drafting, preparation of legal opinions, as well as litigation and non-litigation practice can provide learning spaces that connect theory with realities in the field.
Through these efforts, UNDIP is expected to further strengthen its role as a guardian of objectivity, a moral compass for those in power, and a protector of people’s rights through constitutional channels. This spirit forms part of the university’s efforts to realize a UNDIP that is noble and valuable, and that continues to make an impact on national legal development. (Public Communication/UNDIP/DHW)