Supporting Regional Islamic Diplomacy, UIN Jakarta to Host International Seminar at 50th MABIMS SOM

Jakarta — Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta is scheduled to host an international seminar as part of the 50th Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) of the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore (MABIMS) on Monday (2 November 2026) at Hotel Sari Pacific, Jakarta. Entitled “Khayru Ummah: Sharing Best Practices to Build a Civilised Muslim Society”, the thematic paper seminar forms part of UIN Jakarta's support for the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs in advancing regional Islamic cooperation.

Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., said that UIN Jakarta's involvement in this international event reflects the synergy between Islamic state universities and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Through this support, UIN Jakarta is contributing to the implementation of Islamic diplomacy initiatives, strengthening dialogue between countries and promoting academic contributions to the development of Islamic cooperation across Southeast Asia.

“We would like to express our gratitude to the Ministry of Religious Affairs for entrusting UIN Jakarta with supporting the organisation of the seminar as part of the 50th MABIMS SOM. For us, this involvement represents UIN Jakarta's commitment to contributing to the success of the Ministry's agenda, particularly in strengthening international cooperation in Islamic affairs,” Asep said.

He added that the involvement of higher education institutions in the Ministry's international initiatives provides an opportunity to optimise their academic and institutional capacities in support of shared interests. UIN Jakarta, he continued, is committed to fulfilling this responsibility through coordination and cooperation with various relevant stakeholders.

“Universities play a role not only in education, research and community engagement, but can also make tangible contributions to supporting religious diplomacy and strengthening relations between countries. We hope this event will provide a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences that can contribute to the development of constructive religious life across the region,” he added.

Minister: Higher Education Institutions Should Be Engaged According to Their Capacities
Earlier, Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr KH Nasaruddin Umar, M.A., emphasised the importance of involving higher education institutions in organising the Ministry's international activities. He explained that allocating responsibilities according to each institution's capacity would help ensure the effective implementation of such activities.

“We have universities, so certain activities can be delegated to them according to their respective capacities. For example, if an event is held in Jakarta, we can involve universities based in the city,” Nasaruddin explained during a meeting with the Rector of UIN Jakarta at Istiqlal Mosque on Friday (23 October 2026).

The Minister also stressed that the organisation of international activities should be guided by agreements among member countries to ensure that coordination and the allocation of responsibilities are carried out in accordance with established arrangements.

In the context of the 50th MABIMS SOM, this cooperation involves four member countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. In addition, the observer countries include Timor-Leste, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar.
Strengthening Islamic Cooperation in Southeast Asia
The international seminar will feature speakers from MABIMS member countries. Invited participants include MABIMS delegations, senior officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs at Echelon I and II levels, civil society organisations and representatives of higher education institutions, including members of UIN Jakarta's academic community.

The seminar forms part of the series of events marking the 50th MABIMS SOM, which is taking place in Jakarta from 1 to 4 November 2026. The meeting serves as a coordination forum for member countries to discuss various Islamic affairs initiatives while strengthening regional cooperation.

Jejen Jaenudin, M.Ed., Ph.D., Chair of the Organising Committee, added that UIN Jakarta's support for the event further underscores the strategic role of Islamic higher education institutions in building international networks and expanding the contribution of Islamic scholarship.

The synergy with the Ministry of Religious Affairs is expected to continue developing, not only in organising international events but also in strengthening education, research and cross-border knowledge exchange.

“Through this involvement, UIN Jakarta is committed to continuing its support for the Ministry of Religious Affairs' strategic programmes and contributing to stronger, more inclusive, productive and sustainable cooperation in Islamic affairs across Southeast Asia,” he concluded.

Information and Public Relations Centre, LP2M, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta