Yogyakarta, FU Online News – The Faculty of Ushuluddin, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta, conducted a series of benchmarking visits to several postgraduate institutions in Yogyakarta, namely the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS) at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), the Graduate School of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, and the Doctoral Program of the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FAI) at Ahmad Dahlan University (UAD). The visits took place from 28 to 30 October 2025.

This benchmarking activity was part of the faculty’s ongoing efforts to prepare for the opening of its Doctoral (Ph.D.) Program, following several earlier consinyering and preparatory meetings.

The delegation from the Faculty of Ushuluddin consisted of Prof. Kusmana, M.A., Ph.D. (Professor of Qur’anic Studies and Coordinator of the Doctoral Program Preparation), Prof. Dr. Media Zainul Bahri, M.A. (Professor of Religious Studies), Muhamad Tamamul Iman, M.Phil. (Secretary of the Master’s Program, Faculty of Ushuluddin), and Ahmad Rizal, S.Th.I. (Academic Staff).

During the visit, Prof. Kusmana, who led the delegation, explained that the benchmarking aimed to obtain best practice sharing in preparation for launching the Doctoral Program in Advanced Islamic Religious Studies.

“We chose ICRS-UGM because of its close relevance to our field, especially in Inter-Religious Studies. Moreover, ICRS-UGM is known for its strong academic management and has produced many scholars who have become role models for various universities in Indonesia. We hope that through this learning process, our Faculty can soon realize the establishment of its Doctoral Program,” said Prof. Kusmana.

Meanwhile, Prof. Media Zainul Bahri added that the visit provided a valuable opportunity to explore academic and managerial frameworks necessary for curriculum development and competency mapping.

“Our Master’s Programs at the Faculty of Ushuluddin currently attract a relatively high number of students, with around 40–60 new enrollees each year. One of our programs has also achieved Excellent accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT). This achievement encourages us to move forward with the Doctoral Program proposal we have been preparing this year,” he explained.

The benchmarking series began on Tuesday, 28 October 2025, with a visit to the Graduate School of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. The Ushuluddin delegation was warmly welcomed by Prof. Dr. M. Nur Ichwan, M.A. (Director of the Graduate School), Ahmad Raiq, M.A., Ph.D. (Deputy Director), Dr. Phil. Munirul Ikhwan, Lc., M.A. (Head of the Doctoral Program), Dr. Nina Mariani Noor, M.A. (Secretary of the Doctoral Program), Dr. Subi Nur Isnaini (Secretary of the Master’s Program), and Enti Muzdalifah, S.I.P. (Head of Subdivision, Graduate School).
The visit allowed the delegation to observe, learn, and adapt strategic academic elements and facilities that could support the establishment of the upcoming doctoral program.

The activities continued on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, at the ICRS of Gadjah Mada University. During this session, Zainal Abidin Bagir, Director of ICRS, presented the grand design of ICRS’s doctoral program management and led a discussion covering curriculum design, academic facilities, and financial aspects. Other ICRS representatives present included Dicky Sofjan, Syamsul Asri, Hendrikus Kaunang (Academic Coordinator), Ida Fitri (Program Manager), and Michael Quinlan (International Visiting Lecturer, ICRS–Baylor University).

The benchmarking visits concluded on Thursday, 30 October 2025, with a meeting at the Doctoral Program in Islamic Studies, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Ahmad Dahlan University (UAD). The Ushuluddin team received detailed explanations about the program’s focus, curriculum, faculty qualifications, supporting facilities, as well as funding and student recruitment strategies.
The delegation also visited various modern facilities, including smart classrooms equipped with smart TVs and cameras, research carrier rooms for doctoral students, and both physical and digital library services.

Through these benchmarking activities, the Faculty of Ushuluddin aims to strengthen its planning and readiness to establish an excellent, adaptive Doctoral Program that contributes significantly to the advancement of Islamic scholarship in Indonesia.

(Writer: M. Tamamul Iman | Editor: Ishmatun Nisa | Photo: Ushuluddin Faculty)