UIN Jakarta Hosts the Opening of the 2025 Language and Academic Preparation Programs (LAPP)

Diorama Room, UIN Online News — Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta officially hosted the opening ceremony of the 2025 Language and Academic Preparation Programs (LAPP) on Monday (October 13, 2025), held at the Diorama Room. The program, initiated by the Center for Religious Education Financing (PUSPENMA) under the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenag RI), marks the beginning of intensive academic language preparation for prospective recipients of the Indonesia Bangkit Scholarship (BIB) pursuing master’s and doctoral studies abroad.

The event was attended by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Phil. H. Kamaruddin Amin, M.A.; Head of PUSPENMA, Dr. Ruchman Basori, M.Ag.; and Rector of UIN Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., along with leaders from five Islamic State Universities (PTKIN) administering the 2025 LAPP: UIN Jakarta, UIN Walisongo Semarang, UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, and UIN Alauddin Makassar.

In his remarks, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar underscored the essential role of foreign language mastery in enhancing academic capacity and global competitiveness.

“Language proficiency is the key to accessing knowledge and producing high-quality academic work. Therefore, strengthening language competence must become a strategic priority across all faculties and academic units,” he stated.

He further encouraged lecturers and students to continuously improve their mastery of English, German, and major Asian languages such as Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean.

“Language is not merely a communication tool; it is a strategic asset in building superior human capital,” he added.

Head of PUSPENMA, Dr. Ruchman Basori, M.Ag., highlighted that the LAPP is part of the Ministry’s strategic initiative to bolster the academic readiness of overseas scholarship recipients.

“This program involves 75 participants from five PTKINs who will undergo two months of intensive training to enhance their language proficiency. The goal is for all participants to secure their Letters of Acceptance (LoA) from their target universities,” he explained.

Dr. Ruchman also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting lecturers’ academic advancement through various initiatives, including collaborative research and double-degree programs with world-renowned universities.

“Use this moment to fully prepare yourselves for the challenges of international academia,” he advised.

The program was officially inaugurated by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Phil. H. Kamaruddin Amin, M.A., who extended his appreciation to all university leaders and participants for their dedication to improving academic and linguistic competence.

“The Ministry of Religious Affairs is committed to nurturing globally competitive human resources. LAPP serves as a bridge for our lecturers to engage with international academic traditions and contribute to global research and education,” he remarked.

The event concluded with a symbolic handover of participant lists to PTKIN representatives by the Head of PUSPENMA, followed by a group photo session with both on-site and online participants. Through this program, UIN Jakarta and Kemenag RI reaffirm their shared commitment to cultivating a generation of world-class scholars.

(Kareena Auliya J./Fauziah M./ Zaenal M./Muhamad Arifin Ilham/Photos: Tiara Abdhie)