Advancing Lifelong Learning through Professional Certification, Vocational Training, and Community Skills Development

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta actively promotes lifelong learning by implementing professional training programmes, vocational education activities, practical skills workshops, and competency-development initiatives accessible to individuals beyond its formally enrolled student population. Recognising that education continues throughout professional and personal life, the University provides opportunities for community members, practitioners, teachers, and professionals to acquire new competencies, strengthen occupational skills, and improve their readiness to serve society.

Through collaboration with government institutions, professional organisations, academic departments, and community partners, the University delivers both structured professional training programmes and targeted practical workshops. During 2024–2025, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta implemented vocational and professional learning initiatives, including structured Hajj and Umrah guide certification programmes and practical community-oriented training activities open to the general public. These initiatives contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education by expanding access to continuing education, supporting professional development, and enabling participants to acquire skills applicable to employment and community service.

1. Providing Structured Professional Certification for Hajj and Umrah Guides

One of the University's established professional development initiatives is the Hajj and Umrah Guidance Certification Programme, organised through the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs. On 21–26 October 2024, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta implemented the 12th Cohort of Hajj and Umrah Guidance Certification, providing structured professional training for individuals seeking to strengthen their competencies as Hajj and Umrah guides.

The programme was delivered over six days at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Tangerang. A total of 50 participants from different provinces of Indonesia took part, including participants from Bengkulu, Magelang, Riau, South Sulawesi, and West Nusa Tenggara. The programme provided 75 instructional hours, covering fundamental, core, and supplementary professional learning materials. Training topics included Hajj and Umrah policies, Islamic jurisprudence, pilgrimage guidance for women and older adults, practical pilgrimage procedures, management of Hajj services, communication strategies, and Arabic and English communication.

Participants also received guidance on cultural understanding, professional responsibilities, and the ethical dimensions of accompanying pilgrims. The programme combined theoretical instruction with practical competencies directly relevant to professional Hajj and Umrah guidance. Its implementation in partnership with the Ministry of Religious Affairs demonstrates the University's contribution to structured occupational training and professional competency development. The October 2024 certification programme provides direct evidence that Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta implements vocationally relevant professional education for participants beyond the University's enrolled students.

2. Continuing Professional Training through a Recurring Certification Programme

The University's professional certification activities were not limited to a single event. On 8–15 December 2025, the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences again collaborated with national Hajj and Umrah authorities and the Jakarta Hajj and Umrah Guidance Group Communication Forum to organise a professional certification programme.

The 2025 Hajj and Umrah Guidance Certification Programme, Cohort II, was held at the Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory in Jakarta. The training involved more than 120 participants from different regions of Indonesia. The programme provided 64 instructional hours, combining foundational training, professional knowledge, practical demonstrations, and competency assessment.

Learning activities included classroom instruction, group discussions, practical pilgrimage guidance, micro-guiding, and pre-test and post-test assessments. Training subjects covered Hajj jurisprudence, pilgrimage management, guidance methods, psychological aspects of pilgrim assistance, and professional service delivery. By organising successive cohorts in 2024 and 2025, the University demonstrated a sustained commitment to professional learning and competency development. The recurring structure of these programmes provides evidence of vocational training delivered on a programmed basis, rather than a one-time educational event.

3. Delivering Practical Skills Training Open to the General Public

Alongside structured certification programmes, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta also implements practical training activities addressing the skills needed for community and social service. On 27 May 2025, the Intelligence Da'wa Community, UIN Jakarta Regional Coordination, organised a Funeral Care and Preparation Training Programme at the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences.

The activity took place in the Prof. Dr. H. Aqib Suminto Theatre on the University's campus. Importantly, the University's official report explicitly stated that the training was open to the general public. The programme was designed to improve participants' understanding and practical competence in funeral care and the management of deceased persons in accordance with Islamic practices. The training addressed skills relevant to religious and community service, enabling participants to develop knowledge that could be applied when assisting families and communities.

The initiative reflects the University's commitment to providing practical education that serves real social needs. Unlike academic seminars focused primarily on discussion, this activity centred on the acquisition of practical service-related competencies. The May 2025 funeral-care training demonstrates that Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta has implemented an ad hoc practical skills workshop accessible to individuals outside its formally enrolled student community.

4. Expanding Community-Oriented Skills Development

The University also extends practical education through academic and community-service initiatives that support communities in developing skills relevant to their needs. In August 2025, the Da'wah Management and Master's in Da'wah Management programmes developed a community-service initiative in the Thousand Islands, focusing on practical religious and communication competencies. The programme was designed to provide training in public speaking, funeral preparation, Qur'anic reading improvement, and leading congregational prayer. These areas of training respond to practical skills requirements within religious institutions and local communities.

The programme illustrates the University's wider approach to community-oriented professional education, in which academic knowledge is adapted into practical training opportunities for individuals beyond the university. Community-based training complements campus-hosted vocational activities by extending the benefits of University expertise to groups with different educational and professional needs.

5. Combining Programmed Training with Targeted Workshops

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta adopts two complementary approaches to vocational education and continuing professional development.

Programmed Professional Training

Structured certification initiatives, such as the Hajj and Umrah Guidance Certification Programme, provide organised instruction over several days. These activities incorporate defined instructional hours, professional learning materials, practical training, and competency assessment. The implementation of certification cohorts during both 2024 and 2025 demonstrates the continuity of the University's professional training activities.

Ad Hoc Skills Workshops

Targeted training activities, including the public funeral-care programme in May 2025, provide learning opportunities addressing specific practical needs. These activities enable participants to acquire skills that can be applied in social, religious, and community-service settings. By combining structured professional programmes with shorter practical workshops, the University broadens participation opportunities for individuals with different backgrounds and professional development goals.

6. Supporting Professional Competence and Community Empowerment

Vocational learning plays an important role in equipping individuals with the skills necessary to undertake occupational responsibilities, participate in community services, and adapt to changing professional expectations. The University's Hajj and Umrah certification programmes develop knowledge and practical competencies relevant to the professional guidance of pilgrims.

The funeral-care training provides practical skills applicable to community and religious service. Additional community-oriented training initiatives strengthen communication, religious leadership, and social-service capabilities. Together, these programmes demonstrate that the University uses its academic expertise to support the development of skills relevant to employment, professional responsibilities, and community needs. The University's collaboration with national government agencies and external organisations further strengthens the connection between university-based education and professional practice.

7. Institutional Contribution to SDG 4: Quality Education

The vocational and professional learning initiatives implemented by Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta during 2024–2025 demonstrate the University's commitment to lifelong learning beyond formal degree programmes. Through the Hajj and Umrah Guidance Certification Programme, the University has provided structured professional education for participants from different regions of Indonesia.

Through practical workshops, including the May 2025 public funeral-care training, the University has enabled community members to develop skills relevant to social and religious service. The implementation of multiple certification cohorts demonstrates an ongoing approach to professional training, while public practical-skills workshops illustrate the University's capacity to respond to specific community learning needs. Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta has therefore implemented vocational training and professional development opportunities for individuals outside its enrolled student population, encompassing both programmed certification activities and targeted practical skills workshops open to the wider public.

These initiatives advance Sustainable Development Goal 4 by strengthening professional competence, supporting community participation in practical education, and expanding opportunities for lifelong learning.

Source :
https://uinjkt.ac.id/id/-rektor-uin-jakarta-buka-sertifikasi-pembimbing-manasik-haji-dan-umrah-angkatan-xii-tahun-2024 
https://fdikom.uinjkt.ac.id/id/fdikom-uin-jakarta-dan-fk-kbihu-dki-jakarta-resmi-membuka-sertifikasi-pembimbing-ibadah-haji-dan-umrah-tahun-2025 
https://fdikom.uinjkt.ac.id/index.php/id/pelatihan-pemulasaran-jenazah-komitmen-idc-korwil-uin-jakarta-tingkatkan-peran-sosial-mahasiswa 
https://www.fdikom.uinjkt.ac.id/index.php/id/program-studi-manajemen-dakwah-md-dan-magister-manajemen-dakwah-mmd---uin-syarif-hidayatullah-jakarta-siap-laksanakan-pengabdian-masyarakat-di-kepulauan-seribu-fokus-pada-pelatihan-keagamaan-dan-keterampilan-dakwah