THE white banner spanned the campus gate, carrying eye-catching words in blue, red and black: Student Enrolment Here. The banner was clearly visible from the road. But the Kartika Bangsa College of Social and Political Sciences, located on Jalan Gedong Kuning, Yogyakarta, remained lacking in public interest.

Before the first round of enrolments closed several weeks ago, only five potential students had signed up to the college, despite around 200