UIN Jakarta’s KIP Initiative: From Rigorous Selection to Official Inauguration
Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN Online News — Through the FORMABI‑KIP (Bidikmisi Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah) Student Forum, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta hosted a seminar with the theme "Divided by Culture, United by Knowledge,” at Harun Nasution Auditorium on Friday (17/10/2025).
The event was attended by Rector Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D.; Vice‑Rector for Student Affairs Prof. Ali Munhanif, M.A., Ph.D.; Expert Staf for the Minister of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) Prof. Dr. H. Andi Salman Maggalatung, S.H., M.H.; and inspirational educational content creator Fahrul Riansyah Efendi.
The Rector of UIN Jakarta stated the profound significance of the Kartu Indonesia Pintar (KIP) program. He stated that KIP is not merely a form of social assistance or an act of pity for economically disadvantaged students; rather, it embodies the constitutional duty of the state to guarantee the right to education for every citizen.
“Scholarship is not a mercy nor a gift; it's not how it works. KIP is an inherent right to every child of our nation, proving an entitlement that arises from constitutional obligations. The state must fulfill its constitutional duty by providing adequate access to education, ensuring continuity in learning processes, and guaranteeing fair opportunities for all citizens to pursue higher education,” he said.
Asep Saipudin Jahar then urged participants to treat this responsibility with utmost seriousness, highlighting the importance of diligence, discipline, and mastery of Arabic and English as keys to future success.
“If others are aiming for silver, you must seek for gold. You have to be the best who surpass the better and the good,” he encouraged.
Prof. Ali Munhanif reported that KIP 2025 program attracted approximately 1,400 applicants, of whom about 1,200 met the administrative requirements. After a rigorous multi‑stage selection process, 400 students were awarded KIP scholarships from various faculties and achievement backgrounds.
“KIP scholarship recipients must truly satisfy the established standards both in terms of faculty and program needs. Moreover, UIN Jakarta, as the educational institution responsible for implementing KIP, bears full responsibility for ensuring transparent and accountable management, so that all selection outcomes can be administratively and ethically justified,” the Vice Rector reminded.
Prof. Andi Salman addressed the importance of religious moderation and national spirit amid Indonesia’s diversity.
“Indonesia is a great nation endowed with extraordinary blessings: ethnicities, languages, religions, cultures, and customs. Yet if left unmanaged, this gift can turn into conflict and discord. As a representative from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the moral bulwark of our nation, I expect that UIN Jakarta students will become pioneers of religious moderation," he hoped.
During the ceremony, Asep Saipudin Jahar formally handed over a Rector’s Decree (SK) to representatives of each faculty’s KIP recipients, accompanied by Ali Munhanif. This act officially marked the beginning of the 2025 academic journey for KIP scholars at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
(Fathan Rangga I./Fauziah M./Zaenal M./Muhamad Arifin Ilham/Photo: M. Ghifari Rahman)