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| The head of BKS PTIS, Dr Muhadjir Effendy, MAP, states three ultimate challenges that is faced by Islamic universities today. |
The head of Collaboration Board of Islamic Private University (BKS PTIS) Dr. Muhadjir Effendy, MAP pointed there were three ultimate challenges for Islamic Private University (PTIS) today; institutional challenge with State University (PTN) and the presence of corporate university which has linkage into international network; internal challenge program—the weakness of Islamic Studies Program that actually must be the character of PTIS itself.
The above statement was declared by Muhadjir in the forum of silaturahmi BKS PTIS in the area of East Java at UMM on Saturday (6/30). The agenda was attended by not less than 30 leaders of PTIS around East Java. “Historically, PTIS is established by the former based on the strength of Islamic ideology, and for sure, we have strong Islamic identity,” Muhadjir stated. In fact, PTIS's challenge was harder than the other universities because PTIS should run noble duty rather than implementing educational task.
In addition, Muhadjir assured, the challenge of competition with PTN could not be avoided. In fact, UU mandate gave a large opportunity for PTN to run education within the society in wide scale. The condition, gradually made PTN had domination on PTS, so, PTS burden was harder.
Likewise, the second challenge was seen from the increasing number of universities that was set up by big corporation and international network. Somehow, added Muhadjir, the challenge were being harder with the up-coming foreign capital which get easily dominated the Indonesian universities. “Of course it can’t be simplified due to their unlimited fund, whereas most of PTIS fund are manage independently and it meets some limitations,” he continued.
Meanwhile, internally, PTIS should strengthen their Islamic Department determination. The fact happened was in the opposite—public departments were more developing than the Islamic one; the universities under the Ministry of Religious Affairs were also included in. Today’s condition showed Islamic Department at Islamic universities was moved aside and less-desirable. Moreover, the number of public department was more than the Islamic one. “Therefore, it lessen the fund allocation for Islamic department, and of course it is diverted into the public department,” said Muhadjir.
Dealing with the condition, Muhadjir asked the audience through BKM PTIS to put serious attention on Islamic Department. He then, pointed on BKM PTIS program to revitalize Islamic Department. “Though we compete in the right path, we should persistenly collaborate, help each other, and strengthen Islamic Department within universities,” asked Muhadjir.
He, then described, at developed-countries, religious problem was precisely protected. Religious education was given better proportion than others, such as in Italy, Spain, England, and Iran. In those countries, religious schools were protected by the government. “It also must be done in Indonesia. The government should protect Islam in order to guarantee that excellent students are able to enroll in it with high confidence. Through this way, the excellent of ulama will be easily established instead of making Islamic Department as sidelined department that received students who were not accepted in public department,” said Muhadjir.
Today’s silaturahim was organized on the election of leader and the staff of BKS PTIS in the area of East Java. Besides, there was also presented the quality insurance program by the Head of Academic and Quality Assurance Board of UMM (BKMA) Prof. Dr. Wahyu Widodo with the staff of BKMA Prof. Dr Noorharini. (nas/t_vik)
