Diktis Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia Supports Strategic Collaboration Between IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon and Asia E University Malaysia
IAIN Cirebon (Selangor, Malaysia)—Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Syekh Nurjati Cirebon marked a historic milestone in international educational partnership with an official visit to Asia e University Malaysia. The visit was attended by several top officials including Professor Muhammad Ali Ramdhani (Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia), Professor Abu Rokhmad (Acting Director General of Islamic Education), and Professor Ahmad Zainul Hamdi (Director of Higher Education at the Directorate General of Islamic Education), along with IT team members and Institutional and Cooperation team from Diktis. The event, filled with joy and camaraderie, laid the groundwork for closer cooperation in the development of initiatives at IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon towards transforming into UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon. Selangor, Malaysia (07-05-2024).
This visit not only signifies an important moment in the development of Islamic education in the ASEAN region but also as a strategic step towards beneficial cross-border collaborations between the two countries in the long term.
In his address, Professor M. Ali Ramdhani (Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia) expressed that the establishment of Cyber Islamic University mandated to IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon is one of the priority programs of Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (Minister of Religious Affairs of Indonesia), aimed at accelerating digital transformation in various public services. The presence of Cyber Islamic University is a strategic move to provide inclusive access to world-class education for Indonesians and beyond.
Furthermore, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs hopes that the transformation of IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon into UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati will be marked by advancements in scholarly distinction, thus enabling the Cyber State Islamic University to have a positive impact on Indonesian, ASEAN, and global communities. He mentioned that the inspiration for this collaboration with Asia e University stems from the credentials built by Asia e University, renowned as "1 university 35 countries", with nearly 30,000 active students and a total alumni of 20,000 from 35 countries across various academic disciplines from undergraduate to doctoral levels and microcredentials.
Additionally, Professor Ahmad Zainul Hamdi (Director of Higher Education at the Directorate General of Islamic Education) expressed full support and commitment to ensure that IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon continues to innovate wholeheartedly, aligning with the high aspirations of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. He emphasized his desire to facilitate initiatives at IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon to systematically collaborate with Asia e University, particularly in developing quality standards for UIN Siber and enhancing high-quality human resources to support the progress and sustainability of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' flagship programs. He also proposed collaborations in research, publications, student exchanges, and the establishment of 3+1 double degree programs (3 years in Indonesia and 1 year at AeU Malaysia).
Simultaneously, Professor Hajam (Vice Rector III for Student Affairs and Cooperation), leading the delegation from IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon, expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with top experts from Asia e University to enhance academic standards and holistic academic services. This event was attended by Dr. Ayus Ahmad Yusuf (Chair of the Quality Assurance Agency at IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon), Lala Bumela, Ph.D. (Director of International Office), and Ema Wilianti Dewi, M.Pd (Secretary of International Office).
The warm reception by Asia e University's extended family greeted the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Diktis team, as well as the delegation from IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon. Vice Chancellor of Asia e University, Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Datuk Dr. NIK Mustapha Raja Abdullah, expressed similar enthusiasm in welcoming Indonesian counterparts and readiness to assist IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon in elevating academic quality standards as UIN Siber. Other Asia e University leaders present included Deputy Vice Chancellor (Professor Juhary Ali) and Head of Department, Agile Digital Technologies (Professor Ts Aedah Abd. Rahman). They expressed their intention to fly to Cirebon in the third week of May to explore potential international collaborations with IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon.
All parties present at this event agreed that this visit was not only about building academic networks but also about strengthening cultural and social ties between two countries with rich Islamic heritage. The collaboration between IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon and Asia e University Malaysia is expected to mark a new milestone in strengthening Islamic education globally, bringing sustainable benefits to both institutions and the global community.
