Jakarta, FU Online News – The Faculty of Ushuluddin at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta, in collaboration with the Regional Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI), held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) entitled “Strengthening Regional Autonomy from Academic and National Policy Perspectives.” The event took place at the Auditorium of Adia Suites Hotel, UIN Jakarta, on Thursday (27/11).

The FGD featured two main speakers: the Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at UIN Jakarta, Prof. Dr. Dzuriatun Toyibah, M.Si., M.A., and a lecturer from the Faculty of Economics and Business at UIN Jakarta, Rahmawati, M.M., Ph.D. They presented analyses on the dynamics of decentralization from socio-political and economic perspectives.

Ushuluddin and the Tradition of National Discourse

In his opening remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Prof. Ismatu Ropi, M.A., Ph.D., emphasized that the Faculty of Ushuluddin is one of the founding faculties of UIN Jakarta and has a long-standing tradition of engaging with national issues.

He highlighted the ongoing polemic surrounding regional expansion, which he noted is often “driven more by political interests than by the real needs of society.” He further stressed that decentralization should not be viewed solely in terms of economic growth, but also within the context of educational development and the strengthening of social capacity in regional communities.

DPD RI: Academia Safeguards the Nation’s Critical Reasoning

The second address, which also officially opened the event, was delivered by the Vice Chair of the DPD RI for Economic and Development Affairs, Tamsil Linrung. He expressed his appreciation for the collaboration between academia and legislative institutions through the FGD.

“I have always believed that academia nurtured on campus preserves the nation’s critical reasoning. Through forums like this, we revisit the power relations that shape our social structures,” he stated.

Tamsil also reflected on the long journey of decentralization since the reform era, including the persistent challenge of regional fiscal dependency. He underscored that fiscal independence is a key factor in creating empowered regions capable of supporting the central government.

“Strengthening the DPD requires not only political support but also institutional consistency. Today’s FGD is part of the DPD’s broader effort to ensure that regional autonomy remains on the right track,” he added.

Interactive Discussion and the Direction of Regional Autonomy Policy

Following the opening session, the event continued with presentations by the speakers, who examined the dynamics of regional autonomy from various perspectives, including power relations, policy effectiveness, and regional economic challenges. The discussion was highly interactive, featuring a question-and-answer session involving academics, students, and policymakers.

Through this FGD, the Faculty of Ushuluddin hopes to make a tangible contribution to shaping regional autonomy policies that are more responsive to local characteristics and community needs.

(Author: Iman | Editor: Ishma | Photo: FU)