Rector Calls UIN Jakarta 'Our Shared Home,' Urges Alumni to Help Shape Its Future
Student Centre Hall, UIN Online News — Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., called on alumni and members of the university community to continue nurturing and strengthening UIN Jakarta as a shared home that has produced generations of national leaders and intellectuals.
The message was delivered during the 2026 Ramadan Iftar Gathering, themed "Coming Home to Campus", organized by the Sanjoboyz Community at the Student Centre Hall on Sunday (15 March 2026). The event brought together alumni from various generations, representing both student organizations and extracurricular communities across the university.
In his remarks, the Rector emphasized that UIN Jakarta belongs to everyone and should be preserved collectively as a place where future generations can grow academically, intellectually, and socially.
"UIN Jakarta belongs to all of us. Let us love this home, take care of it, and continue working together so that it remains a place where future generations can grow and contribute to the nation," he said.
During the gathering, Prof. Asep also highlighted several major institutional achievements that have strengthened the university in recent years.
One of the most significant milestones, he noted, was the successful acquisition of Rumah Sakit Haji, which has now officially become UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta Hospital. According to him, the acquisition process has been completed successfully, and the hospital is now operating with sound financial performance.
"Alhamdulillah, the acquisition of Rumah Sakit Haji has been completed. It is now officially part of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, and its financial condition continues to improve," he explained.
The Rector also announced that Madrasah Pembangunan has now been fully integrated into UIN Jakarta. He described the move as more than an administrative consolidation, calling it an important step toward building a comprehensive and integrated educational ecosystem within the university.
Prof. Asep expressed gratitude for the university's recent progress, attributing much of its success to the continued support of alumni who now serve both within UIN Jakarta and across various public institutions, industries, and professional sectors.
He encouraged alumni to remain actively engaged with their alma mater by maintaining open communication and contributing ideas for the university's future development.
"Never hesitate to stay in touch and share your ideas with us. UIN Jakarta is our shared home," he affirmed.
The Rector further noted that UIN Jakarta has produced many distinguished figures serving in diverse fields of national life and stressed the importance of preserving the spirit of unity that has long characterized the Ciputat academic community.
"The spirit of Ciputat is something we must preserve. Let us become a force that unites rather than divides," he concluded.
The gathering also featured remarks from Dr. H. Tb. Ace Hasan Syadzily, Chairman of the UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta Alumni Association (IKALUIN), who shared reflections on his years as a student activist at the university.
A member of the 1994 graduating cohort, Ace recalled his involvement in numerous student organizations, beginning at the departmental level before serving in the Faculty Student Senate and eventually becoming Chair of the University Student Senate.
Now serving as Governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas), he described how the university—then still known as IAIN Jakarta—provided an environment that shaped both his academic and leadership development.
He also recalled his active participation in the Ciputat Student Forum (FORMACI), where discussions on Islamic thought, philosophy, and the social sciences flourished.
"It was here that discussions on Islamic thought, philosophy, and the social sciences developed very strongly," he recalled.
Reflecting on Indonesia's political transition during the mid-1990s, Ace recounted his involvement in establishing the Institute for Indonesian Action and Democracy Studies (LSADI) while building collaborative networks with student organizations from universities across the country.
"At that time, we built networks with Salman ITB, Salamuddin UGM, and many other student discussion groups," he said.
He also remembered UIN Jakarta students' active participation in the 1998 Reform Movement, noting that they were among the first student groups to arrive at the House of Representatives (DPR RI) to demand political reform.
"I clearly remember Prof. Azyumardi Azra helping us secure funding so that 22 buses carrying UIN Jakarta students could travel to the DPR," he recalled.
Ace concluded by affirming his commitment to promoting democratic values through civic education in his current role, emphasizing the importance of preparing future generations of national leaders.
The "Coming Home to Campus" gathering brought together hundreds of alumni who were formerly active in a wide range of student organizations, including student government bodies, academic associations, arts and cultural groups, humanitarian organizations, nature clubs, scouting, Islamic organizations, debate communities, and various regional student associations. The evening concluded in a warm atmosphere of friendship, nostalgia, and renewed commitment to supporting the continued growth of UIN Jakarta.