Outperforming Al-Azhar Cairo in World Rankings, UIN Jakarta Prepares 1,557 Graduates for Global Academic Pathways
Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN Online News – UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta hosted an institutional Postgraduate Orientation and Motivation Briefing seamlessly combined with the 140th Commencement Rehearsal at the Harun Nasution Auditorium on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The event was specifically curated to equip prospective graduates who will be officially inaugurated over the weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24, 2026. The forum was attended by the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie, the Head of the Bureau for Academic, Student Affairs, and Cooperation (AAKK), Dr. Sri Ilham Lubis, and the Head of the Academic Department, Wati. Also in attendance were a lineup of distinguished UIN Jakarta professors, including Prof. Maila Dinia Husni Rahiem and Prof. Muhammad Zuhdi, alongside representatives from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Nita Hertina and Nisa.
Opening the event, Vice Rector Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie delivered an inspiring announcement regarding the university's stellar global achievements. According to the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject, UIN Jakarta has officially broken into the top 29 universities worldwide for Religion and Divinity studies.
"This is the most credible academic ranking system in the world. In the field of Religion and Divinity, our institutional excellence has successfully outperformed major global universities, including Al-Azhar University in Cairo. Moving forward, we will aggressively push our other faculties, including sciences, psychology, politics, and communication, to climb up to similarly prestigious global tiers," Prof. Tholabi asserted, followed by roaring applause from the graduating cohort. He added that pursuing advanced postgraduate studies is a vital step toward accelerating human resource development for the nation's future.
The orientation session featured prominent experts to broaden the graduates' academic visions. Prof. Muhammad Zuhdi, a professor at the Faculty of Educational Sciences (FITK) who also serves as the Rector's Special Staff for Graduate Affairs, presented a comprehensive blueprint of UIN Jakarta’s Master’s and Doctoral tracks. He broke down the advantages of the curriculum, institutional accreditation status, research ecosystems, and international publication metrics.
In an interview with UIN Online, Prof. Zuhdi reiterated the value of continuous education. "Earning a degree, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, is a great milestone, but it is not the final destination. Your duty is to continue your journey, expand your horizons, and upgrade your skills. Therefore, seize every opportunity to pursue your Master’s, professional, or Doctoral degrees right here at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta," he advised.
Praise regarding student academic performance was also delivered by Dr. Sri Ilham Lubis, who highlighted positive indicators within the campus ecosystem. "UIN Jakarta conducts graduation ceremonies four times a year, totaling approximately 8,000 undergraduate degrees annually. This high volume indicates that our student graduation rate is becoming increasingly timely each year due to their academic dedication," she explained.
Addressing the financial solutions for higher education, Nisa, representing the Ministry of Religious Affairs, urged graduates not to worry about tuition costs.
"Do not worry, there are always massive opportunities to secure government funding. We are currently opening registrations for the 2026 Indonesia Bangkit Scholarship (BIB) with a quota exceeding 1,000 recipients. Beyond BIB, there are also grants from LPDP, state-owned banks, and private institutions. Stay motivated and push your education to the highest level possible," Nisa stated enthusiastically after the forum.
Further career and academic encouragement came from Prof. Maila Dinia Husni Rahiem, an early childhood education expert who has consistently been named among the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University. Prof. Maila reminded the graduates to immediately prepare themselves for modern corporate and professional realities.
"Welcome to the real world. If previously you were tested by professors through class assignments, now your tasks lie within the workplace or advanced research programs. An academic degree is an incredible leverage for opportunities, but it is not the sole key to success," Prof. Maila explained.
She noted that recent employment data indicates that the primary attributes evaluated by global employers today are analytical thinking capacity, which stands at 70%, followed closely by creative thinking at 55%. "Therefore, starting today, optimize your resumes and train yourselves to be highly responsive to disruptions in the corporate, professional, and academic fields," she added.
The comprehensive briefing received positive feedback from the participants. Aldila Septia Khairunnisa, a graduating senior scheduled for the Saturday session, expressed that the orientation provided vital clarity for her future.
"I am incredibly happy and overwhelmed to graduate this May. The briefing was highly beneficial for me since I plan to pursue a Master's degree. The insights regarding the LPDP and Kemenag BIB scholarship frameworks have truly illuminated my next academic steps," Aldila shared with a smile.
At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Sri Ilham Lubis presented official tokens of appreciation to the keynote speakers. She also reminded attendees that due to the massive volume of 1,557 graduates, the commencement will be split across two days for venue comfort.
Each graduate is permitted to bring only one guest into the main hall of the Harun Nasution Auditorium. However, the committee has anticipated overflow by setting up external tents equipped with live-streaming monitors. The event then concluded with a full-scale graduation walkthrough simulation to ensure the official weekend ceremonies operate safely, orderly, and solemnly.
(Mufid/Zaenal/Arifin)