From ADIA to UIN: 68 Years of UIN Jakarta Pioneering the Integration of Science and Religion
Ciputat, UIN Online News – UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta continues to advance alongside the progress of national scholarship and education, leading the way in the integration of science and Islam. Today, marking its 68th anniversary since its establishment on June 1, 1957, Sunday (1/06/2025), UIN Jakarta continues to strengthen its commitment as an Islamic religious higher education institution that bridges religious sciences and general sciences.
Born as the Akademi Dinas Ilmu Agama (ADIA), UIN Jakarta has undergone a long journey full of dynamics until it is now known as one of the largest and most influential Islamic universities in Indonesia. ADIA was established based on Minister of Religious Affairs Decree Number 1 Year 1957 with three initial departments: Religious Education, Arabic Language (Lughat al-‘Arabiyyah), and a special department for Army Imams that used Arabic as the language of instruction.
Initially, ADIA was founded to meet the urgent government need to prepare modern, professional, and nationally-minded Islamic religious educators. This institution was formed under the auspices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to strengthen the foundation of Islamic education within the framework of post-independence national development. Its presence marked the initial step in forming a formal Islamic higher education institution that prioritized the integration of classical Islamic scholarship with modern academic approaches.
On August 24, 1960, ADIA merged with the State Islamic Religious Higher Education (PTAIN) Yogyakarta and formed the Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Al-Jami’ah Al-Islamiyah Al-Hukumiyah, based on Presidential Regulation No. 11 Year 1960. ADIA then transformed into the IAIN Jakarta branch with two faculties: the Faculty of Tarbiyah and the Faculty of Adab. This change became an important moment in the integration of Islamic religious education into a national institutional format.
The transformation of IAIN Jakarta into a State Islamic University began from the theological premise that Islam calls for a balance between worldly and otherworldly interests. In addition, historically, this transformation refers to the golden age of Islamic civilization characterized by the contributions of Muslim scientists in various fields of knowledge.
The steps to develop faculties and open non-religious study programs began during the leadership of Prof. Dr. Harun Nasution. These efforts were then continued by subsequent rectors, despite facing a number of regulatory obstacles related to changes in institutional status. A significant breakthrough was finally achieved on May 20, 2002, when Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 Year 2002 stipulated the change of name and status of IAIN to Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. Its inauguration took place on June 8, 2002, by the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia.
The new institutional format of UIN Jakarta places it as a university responsible to the Minister of Religious Affairs and supervised by the Minister of National Education. UIN Jakarta was mandated to organize higher education programs in both Islamic and general sciences side-by-side.
Currently, UIN Jakarta has 12 faculties and 1 postgraduate school covering various fields of study, from Sharia, Tarbiyah, Adab, Economics, Communication, to Medicine and Science. In total, there are 56 undergraduate programs, 27 master's programs, and 1 doctoral program actively running. In an effort to support academic quality, infrastructure development such as campus buildings, laboratories, and information systems continues to be carried out progressively.
Entering a new decade, UIN Jakarta continues to develop the quality of its education. UIN Jakarta has obtained accreditation from leading international institutions such as ASIIN and ACQUIN, which is a recognition of the academic standards, curriculum, and education quality management implemented. This achievement affirms UIN Jakarta's position as a world-class Islamic university that is globally competitive.
UIN Jakarta's commitment to internationalization is also realized through various cross-country academic collaborations, including student exchange, collaborative research, and the development of joint study programs with global partners. With its continuously rising reputation and extensive network of collaborations, UIN Jakarta stands as a preferred study destination for anyone who wishes to pursue higher education with a strong Islamic foundation and an open global perspective.
Through a journey of transformation spanning more than six decades, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta stands as an Islamic higher education institution capable of maintaining the relevance of Islam with the dynamics of changing times. The commitment to integrating science and religion continues to be the main foundation in contributing to the nation's civilized progress.
(M. Hanif Al Fatih/Zaenal M./Fauziah M./Noeni Indah S./Photo: PIH)