Jakarta, FU Online News – Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta held its 68th Anniversary Open Senate Meeting on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Harun Nasution Auditorium. This year’s event carried the theme “68 Years of ADIA/IAIN/UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta: Realizing Global Reputation in Nurturing Excellent Generations Toward Golden Indonesia 2045.”

The event was attended by the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. K.H. Nasaruddin Umar, who delivered a scientific oration, along with the university leadership: Chair of the UIN Jakarta Senate Prof. Dr. Dede Rosyada, M.A., Rector of UIN Jakarta Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., and Chairman of the UIN Jakarta Alumni Association/National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) Governor Dr. H. Tb. Ace Hasan Syadzily, M.Si.

In addition to the speeches from university leaders, this anniversary celebration also featured a student representative to share reflections. Wildan Miftahudin, a student of the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Qur’anic and Tafsir Studies Program, was entrusted to deliver a speech on behalf of UIN Jakarta students.

In his reflection, Wildan shared his personal journey studying at UIN Jakarta. He recalled how people in his hometown questioned his decision to study far away at UIN Jakarta. Yet, after more than three years of study, he found the answer.

“UIN Jakarta, especially the Faculty of Ushuluddin, has taught me not only to become a good human being but also a good servant of God. We are taught not only to understand the Qur’an and Sunnah but also to contextualize them so that they remain relevant today. We are also guided to develop rational and moderate Islamic preaching through a love-based curriculum,” said Wildan.

He further mentioned several major works that shaped his academic journey, ranging from Islam Ditinjau dari Berbagai Aspek, Pembaharuan dalam Islam, Islam Rasional by Prof. Harun Nasution, to Jaringan Ulama Timur Tengah dan Kepulauan Nusantara by Prof. Azyumardi Azra. According to him, these works reaffirm UIN Jakarta’s role as an intellectual laboratory of Islamic thought in Indonesia.

While recognizing the challenges faced by higher education, Wildan expressed his strong belief that UIN Jakarta remains a campus that nurtures generations of integrity.

“UIN Jakarta educates us to become doctors who treat patients with compassion, technocrats who serve the nation, scholars who contribute Islamic knowledge, and leaders who are just and care for their people,” he added.

Wildan concluded his speech with a reinterpretation of a famous quote by Muhammad Abduh in the Indonesian context. He emphasized that both Islam and Muslims can be found together in this country, and that UIN Jakarta is one of the places where the two are brought together in harmony.

At this event, awards were also presented to outstanding lecturers and educational staff. From the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Dr. Eva Nugraha, M.Ag. received the award in the category of “Consistent and Active Student Mentor Lecturer,” while Ishmatun Nisa, S.Kom.I., M.Sos. was honored with the award in the category of “Best Academic Administrative Staff.”

The 68th Anniversary celebration was also enlivened by the Expo Festival of Creativity, Sports, and Student Innovations, showcasing various talents and innovations from students across faculties.

(Ishmatun Nisa)