Reinforcing Religious Legal System in Indonesia, UIN Jakarta Signs Agreement with MA RI

Jakarta, UIN Online News - The Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia (MA RI), through the Directorate General of Religious Courts (Badilag MA), has officially partnered with UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta to strengthen the capacity of religious courts in Indonesia. This collaboration was formalized through the signing of a cooperation agreement between Badilag MA and UIN Jakarta at the Supreme Court Building in Jakarta on Monday (August 4, 2025).

The signing ceremony was carried out directly by the Director General of Badilag MA, Drs. H. Muchlis, S.H., M.H., and the Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepuddin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D. In addition to UIN Jakarta, Badilag MA also signed cooperation agreements with Sriwijaya University and UIN Jurai Siwo Lampung.

The event was attended not only by leaders and officials from Badilag MA but also by representatives from UIN Jakarta: Vice Rector for Cooperation, Din Wahid, M.A., Ph.D.; Head of Academic Administration, Student Affairs, and Cooperation Bureau (Karo AAKK), Dr. Hj. Sri Ilham Lubis, Lc., M.Pd.; Dean of the Faculty of Sharia and Law (FSH) Prof. Dr. Muhammad Maksum, M.A.; Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Alumni, and Cooperation of FSH, Prof. Dr. Kamarusdiana, M.A.; Head of the Doctoral Program in Sharia Studies, Prof. Dr. Yayan Sopyan, M.A., M.H.; as well as staff members from the UIN Jakarta Cooperation Division.

In his remarks, Muchlis expressed his appreciation for UIN Jakarta’s mission to become a strategic partner in strengthening the institutional capacity of religious courts, a program carried out by Badilag MA previously. As a state Islamic university with a well established Faculty of Sharia and Law, thousands of skillfull graduates, and abundant research resources, UIN Jakarta is considered an ideal partner for supporting Badilag’s development.

He added that the partnership is timely given the significant changes in court proceedings brought about by the introduction of e-Court and e-Litigation.

"These innovations have transformed procedural law from conventional to digital. Now, court proceedings can be conducted from anywhere, making the process easier for parties involved and reducing litigation costs. This shift poses both challenges and opportunities for academia,” he stated.

Rector Asep Jahar, in his speech, expressed his gratitude for Badilag MA’s trust in choosing UIN Jakarta as a key partner. He affirmed that UIN Jakarta is ready to contribute on human resource capacity in conducting in-depth analysis and research on the dynamics of religious courts in Indonesia.

“UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta is more than prepared to serve as a positive partner for institutional development, whether as an academic institution and as a supporter of Badilag’s role in religious legal system.” he continued.

It is hoped that the cooperation would enhance institutional capacity on both sides and strengthen organizational management based on Good Corporate Governance (GCG). This partnership is also expected to provide internship opportunities for UIN Jakarta students to gain direct training in the real-world legal environment.

Badilag MA also signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Faculty of Sharia and Law. The MoA was signed by Director General of Badilag MA and Dean of FSH. The agreement focuses on education, research, innovation, community service, and the development of human resources in the field of religious courts.

The scope of the agreement includes several areas: education and training for lecturers, students, educators, judges, and staff from both parties; collaborative research and innovation; community service initiatives; internships for lecturers, students, and educators; as well as efforts to leverage institutional potential to improve the quality of education and professionalism in religious court practices. The partnership also emphasizes the creation and development of research, innovation, and reforms to enhance the quality of education and services in the religious court sector.

Dean of FSH expressed his optimism that the partnership would bring tangible benefits to the advancement of the university’s tridharma (three pillars of higher education).

“Through this cooperation, UIN Jakarta and Badilag MA will continue to collaborate in education, research, community service, and in strengthening graduates’ competencies to meet the demands of the legal sectors,” he affirmed.

Furthermore, he stated that the collaboration marks a strategic step for both institutions in addressing the dynamics of the modern legal landscape, enhancing UIN Jakarta graduates’ competencies, and supporting digital transformation of religious court services in Indonesia.

(Zaenal Muttaqin/Muhamad Arifin Ilham/Photo: Humas Badilag MA)