Assalamu`alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

Distinguished keynote speakers, Dean and all lecturers of the Faculty of Education, esteemed scholars, presenters, staff, committees, invited guests and participants of the conference.

First, I would like to congratulate the Faculty of Education for organizing this annual conference. By organizing consistently five times of this conference series, I can see the commitment of the Faculty of Education in advancing sustainable human development through education, with this year focus on catalyzing social equity, equipping individuals to navigate dynamic global landscapes, and addressing persistent challenges such as unequal resource distribution, digital disparities, and systemic inequities. These issues are exacerbated by disparities between the Global North and South, uneven access to emerging technologies, and the need for inclusive, sustainable, and adequately financed education systems.

Second, I can see that the theme of the 5th Annual Conference, “Transforming Education for Future Generations: Advancing Global Justice and Innovation,” is not only in line with UIII’s mission, but also will serve as a global platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, empirical research, and policy-relevant solutions. This hybrid (in-person and virtual) two-day event draws on the Faculty’s core concentrations: Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning; Educational Assessment and Evaluation; Education Policy, Management, and Leadership; and Education and Society. The conference aims to foster rigorous, evidence-based strategies to ensure equitable access, high-quality learning outcomes, and innovative educational ecosystems that promote transformative thinking and resilience.

Third, as stated in the initial information for the conference, the primary objectives of the conference, among others are:

• To provide a forum for sharing robust theoretical, empirical, and interdisciplinary research aligned with the theme, addressing pressing global education challenges.
• To promote dialogue on advancing global justice through inclusive, sustainable, and innovative education practices.
• To explore strategies for overcoming disparities in access to education, technology, and resources, with a focus on equitable outcomes for diverse and marginalized groups.
• To highlight UIII’s role in integrating Islamic perspectives, ethical considerations, and evidence-based approaches in education.

I hope all of you can take advantage of this forum to share your knowledge and expertise, to contribute on advancing global justice and providing conducive environment for inclusive education, thank you.

Wassalamu`alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh.

Prof. Dr. Jamhari
Rector of UIII

Assalamu`alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

Honorable our Rector, Prof. Dr. Jamhari, distinguished keynote speakers: Prof. Brian Yuliarto, S.T., M.Eng., Ph.D. (Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology), Claire-Marie Hefner, PhD (Union College, United States of America), Dr. Farah Akbar (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom), and Prof. Dr. Jérémy Jammes (Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia, Thailand), esteemed scholars, presenters, staff, committees, invited guests and participants of the conference. Thank you very much for participating in our fifth annual conference. This annual conference takes place just after our long holiday of Iedul Fitri 1447 H (2026). Therefore, I would like to use this opportunity to ask for your forgiveness and pray that all of you are among those who return to purity and among those who are granted victory, amien.

The call for papers for this conference was opened from July to October 2025 and was extended until December 31, 2025. During this period, we received 17 full papers and 129 abstracts from 7 different countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Romania, Singapore, and the United States of America. All submissions underwent a thorough selection process, including a Turnitin screening for plagiarism and AI similarity, which should be below 20 percent, followed by a blind peer-review process. As a result, 6 full papers and 122 abstracts were accepted. The authors of the accepted abstracts were then given one month to complete their full papers, resulting in 62 final submissions from Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. All the submitted papers were graded by the external reviewers to select the best papers, which will be announced at the end of Day 1 of the conference.

This conference, under the theme “Transforming Education for Future Generations: Advancing Global Justice and Innovation,” like the previous annual conference, aims to facilitate both junior and senior scholars to present their research results; to facilitate networking; and for us to receive articles to be published in our Sinta 3 journal: Muslim Education Review. What is a bit different from previous years is the arrival of Dr. Farah Akbar from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK). She is here not only to be one of the keynote speakers for this conference, but also to strengthen our academic collaboration. Beginning this year, we start our dual degree between UIII and the University of Edinburgh. By participating in this program, funded by LPDP, a master’s student spends a year at UIII and a year at the University of Edinburgh and within two years, they can have a double degree: Master of Arts in Education and Master of Science in any one of the three program offered by the Institute for Language Education, Moray House School of Education and Sport: (1) MSc Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); (2) MSc Language Education; (3) MSc Language and Intercultural Communication. In addition to our dual degree with the University of Edinburgh, we also offer our dual degree with the University of Melbourne and Deakin University, Australia, and SOAS, University of London (UK). This shows that even though UIII is relatively a new university, we started to operate in September 2021, yet we have gained international support and trust, alhamdulillah. Starting this year, our faculty is also expanding by opening two master’s degree programs: the Master of Arts in Psychology and the Master of Educational Leadership.

Enjoy the conference, enjoy the networking and cultural event, I hope we can meet again in our next annual conference in 2027.

Wassalamu`alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh.

Prof. Nina Nurmila, PhD
Dean of the Faculty of Education