BKSPTIS Promotes Spirit of Advancing Indonesia, Caring for the World

Yogyakarta—The role of private Islamic universities in realizing quality education for the nation’s current generation is becoming increasingly visible. They continue to proactively produce various educational breakthroughs that are based on noble values as part of their contribution to the progress of the nation.

To continue this positive momentum, the Private Islamic Higher Education Cooperation Agency (BKSPTIS) held the XIII National Conference at Universitas Islam Indonesia’s (UII) Prof. K.H. Abdulkahar Mudzakkir Auditorium on Wednesday-Thursday, 8-9 March 2023.

Carrying the theme “Private Islamic Universities Advance Indonesia and Care for the World”, the two-day conference was attended by members of the BKSPTIS’ Advisory Board, Board of Trustees, administrators, and representatives from member private Islamic universities in Indonesia.

General Secretary of BKSPTIS and Rector of UII, Prof. Fathul Wahid, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed gratitude that other universities, including private Islamic universities, had been supporting UII in educating the nation’s children. He said the current era of collaboration called for networking and collaboration between universities. The BKSPTIS, he said, could be a facilitator for sharing and inspiration.

This forum can also be a place to design strategies to face the challenges in Indonesia’s education sector, especially higher education. Prof. Fathul Wahid said education in Indonesia still had ‘big enemies’, such as social inequality, poverty and unequal education opportunities. To resolve these issues, action needs to be taken quickly as has been done in BKSPTIS and other similar forums.

“If we don’t take immediate action, we fear our future will be designed by someone else. We must design our own future,” he said. “Indeed, it’s not easy to collaborate while still prioritizing our own university affairs. This National Conference forum is an opportunity to sow and reach our dreams for the future together.”

Similarly, Chairman of BKSPTIS Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Hj. Masrurah Mokhtar, M.A., expressed her gratitude for the organization of the National Conference this year. She said the formation of human characters and morals were centered on Indonesian Islamic universities. She also mentioned that BKSPTIS was relied upon to progress this nation.

This BKSPTIS forum can also be used as an example in building and maintaining togetherness, especially between universities in Indonesia, she added.

Secretary of BKSPTIS Advisory Board, Prof. Dr. H. Edy Suandi Hamid, M.Ec., during his remarks recalled the momentum of the X BKSPTIS National Conference in UII on 10-11 December 2009. At that time, he encouraged other Islamic universities to achieve world rankings. To date, the number of private universities that are on world rankings have indeed increased compared to the past.

“Nevertheless, we still have to continue to echo the same spirit to achieve accreditation and ranking for other private Islamic universities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the UII Waqf Foundation, Drs. Suwarsono Muhammad, M.A., expressed his views on the projection of future Islamic civilization in a presentation titled “Religious Capitalism: The Future of Islamic Civilization”. He explained that changes in global hegemony required Muslims to be more anticipative of the impacts that might occur.

 

BKSPTIS Conference Discusses Current Issues

Participants in the XIII BKSPTIS National Conference also discussed current issues, such as the role of Islamic universities in maintaining security in the digital era, as explained by Prof. Dr. Moh. Mahfud MD, S.H., S.U. at the Prof. K.H. Abdulkahar Mudzakkir Auditorium on Wednesday, 8 March 2023. The Indonesian Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister, who is also a UII professor, was invited as one of the speakers.

“First, we must understand national defense and security with the same simple mindset, which is to maintain ideological and territorial integrity so that Indonesia continues to be independent, united, sovereign, just and prosper,” Prof. Mahfud MD said. “The basis is nationalism, hubbul wathon [love for the homeland].”

According to Prof. Mahfud MD, universities must play an active role in producing national cadres that can protect the republic with the spirit of hubbul wathon.

Both visible and latent threats can be detected, he said. Threats are usually aimed at disrupting ideological and territorial integrity and come in the forms of terrorism, separatism, economic crimes, moral collapse, proxy wars through drugs, transnational ideologies, and internal conflicts, all of which are carried out today through hoaxes in the digital world.

“Don’t be fooled by hoaxes. Let’s protect this country,” Prof. Mahfud MD said.

“Islamic universities are tasked with producing national cadres that don’t get fooled by hoaxes and are aware of Indonesian nationalism,” he added. “Indonesia is not an Islamic country, but rather a country that adheres to Islamic values.” (Hizbi/Ana)

Secretary of BKSPTIS Advisory Board, Prof. Dr. H. Edy Suandi Hamid, M.Ec. hit a gong to open the XIII National Conference held at UII’s Prof. K.H. Abdulkahar Mudzakkir Auditorium.Prof. Dr. Moh. Mahfud MD, S.H., S.U. was one of the speakers at BKSPTIS’ XIII National Conference.  (VIP Magazine Vol 10)