DEPOK — The Directorate of Islamic Higher Education (Diktis) of Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs convened a strategic meeting to discuss proposed revisions to Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 57 of 2016 and Government Regulation (PP) No. 23 of 2019. The two-day meeting, held on 9–10 June 2026 at Savero Hotel, Depok, was facilitated by the Subdirectorate of Institutional Development and Cooperation under Diktis.

The forum brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and representatives from Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) to review and strengthen the regulatory framework governing Islamic higher education institutions in Indonesia.

The meeting featured several key speakers, including Dr. Drs. H. Nur Arifin, M.Ag., Head of the Bureau of Organization and Governance (Ortala), Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia; Imam Syaukani, M.H., Head of the Bureau of Legal Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Religious Affairs; and Prof. Dr. Phil. Sahiron, M.A., Director of Islamic Higher Education. They presented policy perspectives and outlined the strategic importance of revising the two regulations. The discussion sessions were moderated by Dr. Asroi, M.A., Head of the Subdirectorate of Institutional Development and Cooperation.

Representing Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) were Prof. Dr. Amsal Bakhtiar, M.A., Vice Rector for Planning, Finance, and Business Development; Dr. Chaider S. Bamualim, University Secretary; Hatta Auliya, S.E., Head of the Bureau of Organization, Human Resources, and Legal Affairs; M. Kadafi, Head of Academic Affairs; and Dadi Darmadi, Ph.D., Head of the Office of Media and Communications.

The participation of UIII reflects the university’s commitment to supporting institutional reform and contributing to policy discussions that shape the future of higher education governance in Indonesia.

In his presentation, Prof. Dr. Phil. Sahiron, M.A. emphasized the urgency of revising Perpres No. 57 of 2016 and PP No. 23 of 2019. “Adaptive regulations will provide greater opportunities for Islamic higher education institutions to grow, innovate, and compete globally,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Drs. H. Nur Arifin, M.Ag. highlighted governance and institutional issues that require adjustment to meet contemporary demands for greater university autonomy. He stressed that Islamic higher education institutions must continue to strengthen their global competitiveness and produce graduates capable of responding to the evolving needs of society, industry, and the labor market.

Over the course of the two-day meeting, participants discussed several strategic issues, including procedures for the establishment of public universities, financial management, institutional governance, and greater flexibility in academic and international cooperation. The outcomes of these discussions will serve as the basis for a formal proposal from the Ministry of Religious Affairs to relevant government institutions as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s higher education regulatory framework.One additional refinement I would suggest for a campus website is to add a brief final paragraph highlighting why the revisions matter specifically for UIII and other state Islamic higher education institutions. That would make the story feel less like a meeting report and more like a strategic institutional news piece