UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta continues to advance in supporting the progress of science and education in Indonesia, and is at the forefront of integrating science and Islamic knowledge. Today, reaching its 68th year since its establishment on June 1, 1957, Sunday (June 1, 2025), UIN Jakarta continues to strengthen its commitment as an Islamic religious higher education institution that bridges religious sciences and general sciences.

Born as the Akademi Dinas Ilmu Agama (ADIA), UIN Jakarta has undergone a long and dynamic journey to become known as one of the largest and most influential Islamic universities in Indonesia. ADIA was established based on Ministry of Religious Affairs Decree Number 1 of 1957 with three initial departments: Religious Education, Arabic Language (Lughat al-‘Arabiyyah), and a special department for Army Imams that used Arabic as the language of instruction.

Initially, ADIA was founded to meet the government's urgent need to prepare modern, professional, and nationally-minded Islamic religious educators. This institution was formed under the auspices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to strengthen the foundation of Islamic education within the framework of post-independence national development. Its presence marked the initial step in the formation of a formal Islamic higher education institution that prioritized the integration of classical Islamic knowledge with modern academic approaches.

On August 24, 1960, ADIA merged with the State Islamic Higher Education College (PTAIN) Yogyakarta to form the Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Al-Jami’ah Al-Islamiyah Al-Hukumiyah, based on Presidential Regulation No. 11 of 1960. ADIA then transformed into the Jakarta branch of IAIN with two faculties: the Faculty of Tarbiyah (Education) and the Faculty of Adab (Humanities). This change was a significant moment in the integration of Islamic religious education into a national institutional format.

The transformation of IAIN Jakarta into a State Islamic University stemmed from the theological idea that Islam calls for a balance between worldly and otherworldly interests. Furthermore, historically, this transformation referred to the golden age of Islamic civilization, characterized by the contributions of Muslim scholars in various fields of science.

Steps to develop faculties and open non-religious study programs began during the leadership of Prof. Dr. Harun Nasution. These efforts were then continued by subsequent rectors, despite facing a number of regulatory obstacles related to changes in institutional status. A significant breakthrough was finally achieved on May 20, 2002, when Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 2002 stipulated the change of name and status from IAIN to Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. Its inauguration took place on June 8, 2002, by the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia.

The new institutional format of UIN Jakarta places it as a university responsible to the Minister of Religious Affairs and guided by the Minister of National Education. UIN Jakarta was mandated to organize higher education programs in the fields of Islamic sciences and general sciences side-by-side.

Currently, UIN Jakarta has 12 faculties and 1 postgraduate school covering various fields of science, from Sharia, Tarbiyah, Adab, Economics, Communication, to Medicine and Science. In total, there are 56 undergraduate programs, 27 master's programs, and 1 doctoral program actively running. In an effort to support academic quality, infrastructure development such as campus buildings, laboratories, and information systems continues to be progressively carried out.

Entering a new decade, UIN Jakarta continues to develop the quality of its education. UIN Jakarta has obtained accreditation from leading international institutions such as ASIIN and ACQUIN, which is recognition of the academic standards, curriculum, and educational quality management implemented. This achievement reaffirms UIN Jakarta's position as a world-class Islamic university that is globally competitive.

UIN Jakarta's commitment to internationalization is also realized through various cross-country academic collaborations, including student exchanges, collaborative research, and the development of joint study programs with global partners. With an ever-increasing reputation and a wide network of collaborations, UIN Jakarta serves as a preferred study destination for anyone who wishes to pursue higher education with a strong Islamic foundation and an open global perspective.

Through more than six decades of transformational journey, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta stands as an Islamic higher education institution capable of maintaining the relevance of Islam with the dynamics of changing times. The commitment to integrating science and religion continues to be the main foundation in contributing to the development of a civilized nation.