Internationalizing Deep Islam
Summerfield, E., & Hemay, S. (2026). Internationalizing Deep Islam. In: Dhiman, S. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Leadership and Organizational Change. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51650-4_185-1
Abstract
This chapter outlines a case study of the philosophical and pragmatic leadership of the new Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII), interpreted through the lens of a Western management theory. It argues that Islam, especially since 9/11, has become overidentified in the West as a menacing, politicized force which has diminished a view of the deep spiritual principles contained in the religion. Indonesia, as the world’s largest Muslim nation, presents a counternarrative to this Western stereotype, exemplified by the mission of UIII and embodied in the leadership of its founding Rectors. The chapter further argues the correspondence between the first principles of the leadership of UIII and the systems thinking method articulated by Peter Senge in his seminal text The Fifth Discipline: the Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. It does so in order to demonstrate the commonalities between Senge’s Western vision of a learning organization and that of UIII, and so further erode the sense of menacing otherness contained in the widespread stereotype of Islam.
FoE Potluck & End Year Gathering
✨🎉 FoE Potluck & End Year Gathering 🎉✨
Hello everyone!
ESTUDIA warmly invites all FoE staff and members, includes:
- MA Batch 4 & 5
- PhD Batch 1- 4
- Lecturers and staffs
To join us for a joyful FoE Potluck & End Year Gathering as we come together to celebrate the closing of the year in a relaxed and meaningful way.
📅 Day/Date: Wednesday, 31 December 2025
⏰ Time: 4:00 PM
📍 Place: Classroom 13
🍲 What to Bring: Potluck food to share and enjoy together
This gathering will be filled with:
🍽️ Sharing delicious potluck dishes
🎲 Fun and entertaining games
💬 Reflection moments to look back on our journey this year
🎉 A warm year-end closing with the ESTUDIA
Let’s take this moment to connect, reflect, and end the year with laughter, gratitude, and togetherness. We truly look forward to seeing you there!
Warm regards,
ESTUDIA
Get to know more about the Revision of National Education System progress – study visit to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE)
Looking to the education policy in action is very interesting. On Monday, December 22, 2025, we are going to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) to know more about that. All my classmates from the Educational Policy Analysis class are scheduled to have a discussion with the Education Standards, Curriculum, and Assessment Agency (BSKAP), specifically the Centre for Education Standards and Policy (PSKP), which handles Indonesia's national education policy or regarding National Education Standards. The topic of this visit is discussing the Draft Law on the new National Education System (RUU Sisdiknas), which is included in the 2025 Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). The status of the bill is currently in the discussion and refinement stage in parliament. We are guided by our lectures from the Educational Policy Analyst class, Dr. Lukman Nul Hakim and R. Alpha Amirrachman, M.Phil., Ph.D., on this agenda and prior to the visit, we were given some reading materials related to the draft Law (bill) from our lectures to enrich the discussion.
This visit truly excited me and sparked great enthusiasm. This was due to my second visit to MoPSE as a student at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), but also because the focus of this discussion was directly related to education policy, which is my current field of interest and concentration study. Furthermore, this visit provided an opportunity for us as students to learn more about the evolution of Indonesian Education Law. This discussion provided a glimpse into the perspectives of stakeholders directly involved in the decision-making process. Through this interaction, we gained a deeper understanding of the sequence of policy formation at the national level. This allowed me as a student to understand the lengthy process of drafting a law and the various parties involved in its formation. This provided a collaborative experience for students, bridging theoretical learning in the classroom to the real-world practice.
In this regard, we gathered in the morning to the Jakarta for the Ministry office towards the departure. Upon arrival at MoPSE, we were greeted by the Policy Analysis and Advocacy Working Team from the ministry. We arrived a little earlier than planned, and we didn't waste our time there; we were discussing something else instead. Guided by Pak Alpha, we opened our initially discussion with Mr. Lukman and Ms. Esy about submitting students’ work (e.g articles) to the ministry journals. They informed us that there are two journals that students can submit to: "Jurnal Penelitian Kebijakan Pendidikan" (Journal of Education Policy Research) & "Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan" (Journal of Education and Culture). Several explanations were given regarding what students need to consider when submitting their papers to journals, including the journal's twice-yearly publication timeline. I think this is very insightful, apart from the main material discussed that day, we also got information about where we can publish our scientific work.
Afterward, at 10 am, we are going to the main agenda, a discussion with the Head of the Center for Education Standards and Policy, Mr. Irsyad Zamjani, Ph.D. Prior to the discussion, we were briefly introduced before Mr. Irsyad continued with his presentation. He presented material on The Revision of the National Education System Law, starting with explaining the evolution of education policy in Indonesia and the background of why the revision of the Indonesian education law is necessary. He also added about the stages in the Sisdiknas Revision which consists of 5 stages of the legislation process, which begins with Initiation, Preparation, Discussion, Reflection and it ends with Determination. In addition to that, he explained that MoPSE has supported this legislation process and provided us a brief overview of what activities have been carried out by MoPSE during 2025.
There are several key revisions highlighted in this change to the education system. This change is arguably quite massive because it goes beyond policy as a philosophical foundation to include substantive studies. Several aspects can serve as students' takeaways, for example, educational governance and pathways, compulsory education, curriculum and learning, teacher welfare, and educational funding. One of my takeaways from this discussion is the extension of compulsory education from 9 to 13 years. One of the hot topics in education frequently discussed both inside and outside the classroom is how the acknowledgment of early childhood education (ECE) takes place, and this is one of them. The addition of one year of compulsory education to ECE acknowledges that preschool education is as important as other levels of education.
The discussion then continued with a question-and-answer session. Students appeared very enthusiastic in listening to Mr. Irsyad's presentation, as evidenced by the large number of students who raised questions. The questions asked by the students were very diverse; this may reflect our interest in the field of discussion. Some of them concerned indigenous communities, distant learning, educational budgeting, language policy, and concerns on the average length of schooling. Towards the end of the discussion, he added regarding the discussion of the Revision of the National Education System Law, MoPSE did not work alone, but also participated by inviting several related stakeholders and non-governmental organizations in the discussion regarding this legislation process.
Wasatiyyat Islam as Foreign Policy: Prof. Din Syamsuddin on Indonesia’s Global Islamic Identity
Wasatiyyat Islam as Foreign Policy: Prof. Din Syamsuddin on Indonesia’s Global Islamic Identity
December 18, 2025
By Supriyono | Photo: Achmad Ulyani
Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) continued its intellectual engagement on Islam and global affairs through a guest lecture titled “Wasatiyyat Islam as a Foreign Policy: The Image of Indonesian Islam”, held at the Faculty of Education on December 17, 2025. The lecture was part of the course Wasatiyyat Islam in a Globalized World and was convened by Andar Nubowo, PhD.
The session featured Prof. Din Syamsuddin, Chairman of the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilizations (CDCC) and Chairman of Muhammadiyah for the 2005–2025 period, who offered a reflective and historically grounded perspective on how Indonesia’s foreign policy embodies the Islamic principle of wasatiyyat—the middle path.
Prof. Din argued that Indonesia’s commitment to moderation is not merely rhetorical but constitutionally rooted. Referring to the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution, he emphasized that Indonesia’s mandate extends beyond safeguarding sovereignty and ensuring prosperity to actively participating in creating global peace and justice. “From the very beginning, Indonesia was envisioned as a nation that takes the middle way,” he noted, adding that this orientation is reflected not only in Pancasila but throughout the body of the Constitution.
According to Prof. Din, Indonesia’s foreign policy represents what he described as a “constitutional deduction”—a direct manifestation of constitutional values—and a “sociological-political induction”, shaped by the aspirations and moral convictions of its people. In this framework, wasatiyyat Islam becomes both a moral compass and a diplomatic approach.
He illustrated this principle through Indonesia’s longstanding support for Palestinian independence, which he described as a constitutional obligation as well as a historical and ethical stance. Prof. Din reminded the audience that Palestinian leaders were among the earliest to recognize Indonesia’s independence, even before its formal proclamation in August 1945. Indonesia’s consistent advocacy for Palestine at international forums, including the United Nations, reflects what he called a principled foreign policy rooted in justice, peace, and humanitarian concern.
Beyond the Middle East, Prof. Din highlighted Indonesia’s role in peacebuilding efforts in Southern Philippines, where Indonesia served as a mediator between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). He described this involvement as a concrete example of Islamic moderation translated into conflict resolution and diplomacy.
The lecture also addressed how Indonesia has managed sensitive global religious issues through dialogue rather than confrontation. Prof. Din recalled moments when Indonesian Islamic leaders, civil society, and government institutions worked together to respond calmly to international controversies involving Islam, thereby preserving social harmony and projecting a mature global image of Indonesian Islam.
Reflecting on Indonesia’s engagement with Europe and interfaith dialogues during the mid-2000s, Prof. Din observed that Indonesia was increasingly viewed as a model of moderate Islam, offering an alternative narrative to extremism. He argued that this image was strengthened by Indonesia’s confidence in promoting wasatiyyat Islam as a civilizational contribution rather than a defensive identity.
Concluding his lecture, Prof. Din encouraged students to critically assess whether Indonesia’s foreign policy has successfully shaped the global perception of Indonesian Islam. He invited them to continue researching and analyzing Indonesia’s diplomatic practices, noting that scholars and students alike play a vital role in refining and advancing the discourse on Islam, moderation, and global coexistence.
The lecture underscored UIII’s commitment to fostering critical conversations on Islam’s role in international relations, positioning the university as a space where constitutional values, religious ethics, and global realities intersect.
Learning the Art of Wholeness: Rethinking Education with Prof. Ananta Kumar Giri
Learning the Art of Wholeness: Rethinking Education with Prof. Ananta Kumar Giri
December 8, 2025
By Supriyono | Photo: Achmad Ulyani
How might education look like if it aimed not merely to train the mind, but to awaken the whole human being? This question became the spirit of Lunch Talk #48 hosted by the UIII’s Faculty of Education, on December 8, 2025. In a thought-provoking session, Prof. Ananta Kumar Giri, COMPOSE Fellow at UIII’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Founding Honorary Executive Trustee of the Vishwaneedam Center for Asian Blossoming spoke on “Learning the Art of Wholeness: Integral Education and Beyond.”
Prof. Giri highlighted that the contemporary crisis of education is not merely about quality or curriculum but stems from the illusion of fragmentation. Modern systems, he argued, have disconnected learners from the wholeness of life by prioritizing mental memorization over the development of emotional, vital, spiritual, and social dimensions. He urged the audience to reimagine education not as a mechanical transfer of knowledge, but as a living process that integrates heart, body, mind, nature, and community.
Drawing on his book and rich fieldwork across the world, Prof. Giri shared examples of educational movements that cultivate wholeness. Integral Education, inspired by Indian thinker and spiritual teacher Sri Aurobindo, nurtures every dimension of the learner. Steiner-Waldorf schools teach by storytelling, creativity, and practical engagement. Free schools in Denmark embody community-based learning where children are taken seriously “not as people of tomorrow, but people of today.” These examples, he suggested, prove that education can be both deeply human and academically rich—without being reduced to exams and performance metrics.
Prof. Giri reflected on the dominance of written assessments and scholarly publications that reward technical output but neglect lived wisdom. “Education is not only in papers,” he emphasized, recalling how many meaningful learning moments emerge from conversations, creativity, service, and shared humanity rather than test scores or journal citations.
The talk also ventured into the philosophy of trans-disciplinarity, encouraging educators to dissolve boundaries between subjects such as science, arts, humanities, and ethics. He offered vivid examples of science lessons connected to poetry, water studies linked to spiritual meaning, and cooking classes that explore chemistry while nurturing equality among genders. The challenge, he noted, is to resist treating knowledge as compartmentalized fragments and instead allow learners to experience the world as interconnected.
A central moment in his reflection was his reminder that teachers are not authoritative transmitters but companions in learning. He shared stories of schools where children are engaged with nature, storytelling, and responsibility, and where teachers discover their own authenticity rather than claiming sovereignty over knowledge. He recalled a Waldorf educator’s words: “Children are souls in front of us”—not empty vessels but living beings who deserve respect, dialogue, and encouragement.
In his conclusion, Prof. Giri invited the faculty members and students to rethink educational practice. Instead of treating wholeness as a vague ideal, he challenged everyone to see it as a practical necessity that grounds meaningful learning, sustainable humanity, and ethical engagement.
Lunch Talk #48 reminded everyone that wholeness is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Education cannot stop at filling minds; it must help shape whole human beings. The talk concluded with a clear message: learning should connect heart, mind, body, and community. If educators choose this path, schools and universities can become places that not only prepare students for exams, but prepare them for life.
source: https://uiii.ac.id/learning-the-art-of-wholeness-rethinking-education-with-prof-ananta-kumar-giri/
Beyond Tools: Thinking about AI, Education, and our Humanity
Beyond Tools: Thinking about AI, Education, and our Humanity
By Nabila Nindya Alifia Putri
2025 is just around the corner to close its chapter, and on the fourth week of November was truly an unforgottable moment that I will always cherish in my life, at least after I graduated. On the 28th of November, 2025, I got a fruitful opportunity as a panelist at the ACE Online Conference. Academically and personally speaking, the session, “Human–AI Partnership in Teacher Education: Rethinking the Hybrid Teacher of the Future,” challenged me to articulate my research in a broader, global conversation about the future of teaching. The issues explored in the session resonated strongly with the findings of my master’s thesis, which I incorporated into the discussion.
During the panel session, I got asked a question. It was about the ways in which cultural, societal, and contextual aspects influence the way students respond to AI, which led me to reconsider my own research results in a new perspective. My research has demonstrated that there is great cultural focus on academic integrity within the Indonesian schools whereby teachers are expected to adhere to moral standards during the learning process. It also emphasizes the excessive dependence of teachers on community-based and informal learning instead of institutional training and the contextual fact that AI systems do not frequently support local curricula, language standards, and daily learning processes. It taught me that the problems I noticed during my fieldwork are not just technical or practical issues, as there were issues about academic integrity or a lack of infrastructure. Instead they are indicative of deeper questions of what we are as a society, the way we value relationships in the learning process, and how we negotiate change.
As I reflect further upon writing this reflection, these insights feel even more relevant in light of recent ecological disasters across Indonesia, particularly in Sumatra and parts of Java—events that are, in many ways, are consequences of human actions. The process of this happening brought back to me that education is never solely about mastering content or learning to use technology, but it is also about molding conscience, responsibility, and care. This lowkey gave me a silent hope that someday AI would not only be incorporated into the process of learning due to ease or effectiveness. I wish to believe that with the development of AI, we will be able to use AI to teach what really matters as well as our connection with the environment. Perhaps, we can have such simulations one day with the help of AI, or a virtual reality (VR) experience that lets students observe the life cycle of trees, the sensitivity of ecosystems, or the effects of environmental destruction. It is only a hope, which is a possibility in the future, but I was left convinced by this panel that it is a part of our job as educators to make ourselves believe that such possibilities exist.
Speaking in front of a global audience was not only challenging but also empowering. I needed to express myself, answer on the spot, and present the Indonesian context in a positive manner. At one point, the discussion was flowing smoothly that I encountered a sense of connectedness, not just to the panelists, but to the whole audience who cared about the future of education. It made me remember again on why I decided to pursue this field. In general, this experience taught me that insights from local contexts bear a great, yet universal importance. Personally, I also became developed. I learned that:
- I am able to address myself confidently, especially in global contexts,
- my research bears depth and relevance beyond local context.
What I take from this experience is a renewed sense of purpose. It further intensified my desire to investigate the problem of AI literacy, teacher identity, and educational ethics, yet also helped me to remember the larger mission of education itself. The panel session gave me a reality to be more grateful, solid, and hopeful person who has much to do in a world where technology and humanity develop in mutual communion, not only in order to be efficient, but in order to be caring, thoughtful and understanding of our world. And in most respects, this vision is also consistent with what I have studied during my masters study in the Faculty of Education at UIII: a place which has helped me to consistently think of education as a transformative power based on ethics, justice, responsibility to the society, and the environment.
Lastly, let’s take a moment to give our thoughts and prayers of our brothers and sisters affected by disasters in Sumatra, Java, and other places affected by disasters in Indonesia. May we always be given strength and fortitude to get through everything.
Improving Community Capacity Building in Education: Indonesian Experience
Mutohar, A. and Sumintono, B. (2026). "Improving Community Capacity Building in Education: Indonesian Experience" In Li, J. & Chan, P.W.K. Global Perspectives on Community Education and Learning SocietyDiversities, Challenges and Strategies. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Global-Perspectives-on-Community-Education-and-Learning-Society-Diversities-Challenges-and-Strategies/Li-CHAN/p/book/9781041233350