UIN Sunan Kalijaga and LISAFA-USM Malaysia to open the Penang Branch

19 Sept 2025

Rector Prof. Noorhaidi of UIN Sunan Kalijaga and representatives from Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) Lisafa Study Center Dr. Abdul Halim Abdul Aziz gathered to re-new a significant agreement. The event, held on Friday, September 19, 2025, marked the renewal of their five-year partnership. This new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will extend their collaboration until 2028, building on a successful period that began in 2020.

​The partnership has already yielded tangible results, with 15 students currently enrolled in the Doctorate Program of Islamic Philosophy, the Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought. This collaboration is dedicated to the revitalization of Islamic heritage for the future, a core theme for both institutions. During the meeting, Prof. Noorhaidi expressed his enthusiasm, stating that the partnership should be developed more broadly. "We see the importance of integrating falsafah into life, as we hear from the case of Malaysia and Indonesia. So, generally we are very welcome and support for more other programs that will have a greater impact. We will handle everything to make it smoother, preparing for the Malaysian side and the quality of Higher education in Indonesia" he said.

​Discussions during the event also explored new, ambitious possibilities. Both sides expressed interest in joint-degree programs and a potential UIN Sunan Kalijaga branch in Penang, Malaysia, specifically for master's and doctoral students. Prof. Noorhaidi affirmed that Yogyakarta is ready to lead in this area of integration, believing that such partnerships transcend borders, among neighbors of Southeast Asian. "We already have a presence in covering Trans-National Education (TNE) and in doing so, the initiative of expanding UIN Sunan Kalijaga branch in Penang is a very ambitious, yet possible way to start with the TNE”, he is adding the process that already started in the last five years.

​The meeting highlighted the shared goal of advancing academic thought and producing influential leaders. Lisafa representatives, Dr. Abdul Halim Abdul Aziz, noted that the first phase of their collaboration, which focused on the "Literacy Sains Falsafah" initiative, had already matured, with senior members aiming to influence government policies in a more broader sense. The second phase will focus on philosophical design and creating a strong foundation for future scholars. The collaboration also strengthens the bond between the two universities, with many alumni of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Faculty of Islamic and Social Sciences (FUPI) also being USM alumni, making joint-doctorates a natural and promising next step.

The meeting ended with the signing of the MoU renewal and handling gifts from both institutions. SKD