Preserving Islamic Culture and Civilization (2)

IIIU is a newly established post-graduate institution that provides seven schools and offers various academic programs focusing on the study of Islam and the Muslim world. The university also has various research centers with speciëc expertise to respond to strategic issues and challenges related to Muslim society worldwide. The new university has set its goals, including: (1) to procreate scholars that hold the expertise in the ëelds of Islamic Studies and/ or social sciences through multi-disciplinary approach; (2) to be the strategic centers for the study of Islam and society to bring out high quality and inspiring scientiëc works, shaping and spreading thoughts and knowledge about the world of Islam; (3) to be the center of study, preservation, and development of Indonesia’s Islamic culture. In addition to that, IIIU seeks to: (4) bring out strategic policies to empower the national’s identity; and (5) to be the legacy of world civilization, an inspiration for a peaceful, democratic and just/civilized world order.

IIIU is also aimed at developing an umbrella institution dedicated for the study, preservation and promotion of Muslim heritage in the region, and establishes a museum to exhibit a collection of artifacts with historical, aesthetical and scientiëc signiëcance to the Muslim world.

The founding of the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII) is a part of the effort to increase academic community recognition of Islam’s role in Indonesia, and to turn the country into one of the world’s Islamic civilization centers through higher education with international standards and its various levels. The Indonesian government wants a world-class Islamic university in Indonesia that not only explores Islamic studies, but also introduces to the world that Islamic in Indonesia can also make a positive contribution in the discovery of knowledge and the preservation of world civilization.

Based on a recent population survey (2015), Indonesia’s population in 2019 is projected to reach 266.91 million. The number consists of 134 million of male and 132.89 million female population. With the productive age group (15-64 years old) reaches 183.36 million people or 68.7% of the total population, Indonesia is currently enjoying a demographic bonus period, meaning the country’s productive age population outnumbers the unproductive age.

These factors have become the important encouragement to strengthen the Indonesian government to find and provide a better and alternative scheme for religious higher education in the Muslim world, employ the best human resources available and offer great programs for anyone in the world who is interested in them. In the future, when the new campus functions as a full-blown university, it is expected that IIIU will offer graduate studies for over 5,000 Magister students as well as more than 1,000 PhD students in various disciplines. The university will employ at least 500 lecturers and professors. This is certainly not an easy step. However, in order to advance education in Indonesia and in the Islamic world these ideals must be initiated and worked out seriously.

Prof. Dr. Komaruddin Hidayat

Rector of the Indonesian International Islamic University