The Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies (CRCS) at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM) has been awarded the “Premium Quality Seal” from the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA), based in Bonn, Germany. This achievement reinforces CRCS UGM’s position as a program consistently building bridges of interdisciplinary knowledge on religion and culture at the international level.
According to Dr. Samsul Maarif, Head of CRCS UGM, this recognition is the result of a dedicated and collective effort by the entire team, which is committed to maintaining high-quality academic services.
“CRCS UGM did not specifically target the FIBAA Premium Quality Seal. Our primary commitment has always been to support and implement the university’s internationalization agenda,” he explained on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.
Following its certification from the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) in 2021, CRCS UGM was again encouraged by the university, through the University Quality Assurance and Reputation Unit (SPMRU), to pursue international accreditation. With assistance and guidance from both the SPMRU team and the Graduate School, the CRCS UGM team continuously refined its documentation of academic activities and services.
“International accreditation is a continuation of consistent administrative work,” said Dr. Maarif.
He further emphasized that a strong commitment to document-based academic service quality was a crucial factor in the FIBAA assessment process.
Guided by the principle of “administration follows function,” the CRCS UGM team approached documentation not as mere formality, but as a reflective practice to enhance the quality of academic governance.
“For us, FIBAA is not about changing the system, but affirming that our academic service system aligns with European standards,” he added.
Among the key strengths recognized by FIBAA were interdisciplinary studies, international guest lecturers, and intercultural learning materials, aspects that have been central to the CRCS UGM curriculum since its inception.
Dr. Maarif provided one example: the course on Religion and Ecology, which integrates multiple disciplines, including religion, culture, environment, politics, and public policy.
“We encourage students to engage directly with local communities to experience and understand diversity in context. In those communities, religion is not only practiced as a belief but also as part of social and civic life,” he explained.
The FIBAA Premium Quality Seal offers direct benefits to both students and faculty, particularly in fostering international collaboration and academic recognition.
According to Dr. Maarif, the accreditation strengthens CRCS UGM’s academic partnerships and paves the way for the program to become more actively involved in global education networks.
“This accreditation is not merely an administrative achievement but also a reminder for CRCS UGM to continue strengthening its bridge of diversity, true to our motto: bridging the world of diversity,” he said.
After earning the FIBAA Premium Quality Seal, CRCS UGM remains open to benchmarking and sharing experiences with other study programs in Indonesia.
The accreditation catalyzes the continuous enhancement of teaching, research, publication, and public education quality, not only during its five-year validity period but well beyond.
“We see this achievement as an open gateway to continuously explore knowledge and humanity across boundaries while improving service quality,” said the head.
As a reflection, Dr. Maarif expressed hope that this international recognition will inspire the development of knowledge, particularly in the study of religion and culture, to contribute to equality, justice, and harmony.
“The reality of religion is diversity. Therefore, the study of religion is crucial in understanding how to manage diversity to coexist in fairness, equality, and harmony with fellow humans and all beings of this planet. That is where CRCS UGM aims to keep playing its role,” he concluded.
Author: Ika Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna