Minister of Religious Affairs Urges Acceleration of UIN Jakarta’s Transformation into a Legal Entity State Islamic University
Jakarta, UIN News Online — Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. K.H. Nasaruddin Umar, M.A., has called for the acceleration of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta’s transformation into a Legal Entity State Islamic University (PTKN-BH). The statement was delivered during his address at the UIN Jakarta Leadership Work Meeting (Rakerpim) held in Jakarta on Saturday (14/02/2026).
The Minister emphasized that the transition toward PTKN-BH status is a strategic step to strengthen institutional competitiveness and expand university autonomy at both national and global levels.
“The effort to transform UIN Jakarta into a Legal Entity State Islamic University is a very strategic move. This status is not for prestige, but to gain broader autonomy so the university can move more agilely, independently, and competitively at the global level,” he said.
Nasaruddin Umar stressed that institutional transformation is no longer optional but a necessity in response to rapidly changing social and demographic dynamics. As one of Indonesia’s leading State Islamic Universities, UIN Jakarta is considered well-positioned to serve as a model for such transformation.
He also acknowledged UIN Jakarta’s consistent achievements in maintaining a leading position among State Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN), including its strong number of professors, high-quality study programs, and internationally accredited academic offerings.
“UIN Jakarta has become a representation of excellence in Islamic higher education. This is not merely numbers on paper, but the result of hard work and commitment from the entire academic community,” he stated.
The Minister further highlighted the importance of transformative leadership in driving institutional change. According to him, leadership within the Ministry of Religious Affairs must go beyond managerial and technical competencies, and must also be grounded in spiritual values.
“Leadership within the Ministry of Religious Affairs is not enough to be managerial and technical. It must also be transformative and rooted in spiritual values. A leader is responsible not only to humans but also to God,” he said.
Addressing educational challenges, the Minister pointed to the learning behavior of Generation Z and Generation Alpha, which requires more adaptive and digitally based learning systems. He emphasized that universities must no longer function as ivory towers but must actively provide solutions to societal issues.
He also encouraged stronger collaboration between UIN Jakarta and government institutions, including the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta, particularly in research, observation, and policy evaluation in the religious sector.
In his closing remarks, Nasaruddin Umar reaffirmed UIN Jakarta’s strategic role as a benchmark for religious moderation in Indonesia. He stressed the importance of maintaining balance among diverse religious perspectives to avoid ideological polarization.
“Moderation is simple: let differences remain different, and similarities remain similar. Do not equalize what is different, and do not differentiate what is the same. That is where we stand—between liberalism and radicalism,” he concluded.
The Rakerpim 2026 was attended by university leadership, including the Rector, Vice Rectors, Senate leadership, deans, postgraduate directors, heads of institutions, bureau heads, and unit leaders across UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. The meeting serves as a strategic consolidation forum for the university’s 2026 policy direction.