The UGM Graduate School (SPs UGM) has contributed to the university’s achievement in ranking 61st globally in the field of Theology, Divinity, and Religious Studies in the 2024 QS World University Ranking by Subject.
In this ranking of 141 universities worldwide, UGM is the only university in Indonesia listed alongside prestigious institutions like Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, and Notre Dame.
The three programs are the Master’s Program in Religion and Cross-Cultural Studies (ALB), the Doctoral Program in Inter-Religious Studies (IRS), and the Doctoral Program in Islamic Economics and Halal Industry (PIIH).
Dean of SPs UGM, Professor Siti Malkhamah, mentioned that the return of the religious studies field at SPs to the top 100 globally is a matter of pride, especially since it previously ranked 47th globally.
“This is indeed a proud moment for us, and we are grateful for the recognition of our achievements in Theology, Divinity, and Religious Studies. This achievement results from the efforts of everyone at UGM,” the dean said in her statement to journalists on Sunday (Apr. 21).
According to the dean, the study of religion as an academic field has significantly developed in many countries. In Indonesia, religious studies are predominantly conducted in religious universities.
However, UGM was the first public university in Indonesia to establish these programs and remains the only one to do so. The Doctoral Program in IRS, established in 2006, is part of a consortium of three universities: Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University and Duta Wacana Christian University.
“Our uniqueness lies in integrating various methodologies across interdisciplinary studies,” she explained.
To achieve this top 100 ranking globally, Dean Malkhamah mentioned that they have integrated teaching, research, and community service to support each other. The quality of research publications in international journals has also been a significant consideration.
“Most of our research and community service projects directly relate to socio-economic-religious issues,” she elaborated.
Regarding curriculum development, the dean said they promote up-to-date and comprehensive learning materials covering various aspects of religious studies, including theology, philosophy, history, and culture. Qualified, competent, and experienced lecturers with diverse specializations in religion and its applied sciences handle teaching.
“All lecturers hold doctoral degrees, and some are professors. Almost all lecturers have worked in their respective fields for at least 15 years,” she added.
Moreover, SPs UGM implements innovative and interactive pedagogical approaches by lecturers to encourage students to think critically, innovatively, and analytically.
The dean acknowledged the strong research culture in these programs, creating a positive atmosphere for lecturers and students to actively engage in research on various topics related to religious studies and its applied sciences.
High-quality research results are then published in reputable academic journals or presented at international conferences, including the PhD Student Colloquium organized through collaboration between the PIIH Doctoral Program and the National University of Malaysia during the International Conference on Islamic and Halal Economic Studies (ICIHES).
Regarding graduate quality, Dean Malkhamah emphasized that SPs UGM always strive to ensure graduates have competent theoretical and practical competencies in religious studies. Graduates typically find employment in various fields, such as education, research, journalism, and non-governmental organizations.
Some graduates of the PIIH Doctoral Program, for example, become lecturers at UGM, Yogyakarta State University, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, and Raden Mas Said State Islamic University. Additionally, graduates contribute to the development of a harmonious and tolerant society.
The dean mentioned that the IRS and PIIH Doctoral Programs have alumni from Indonesia and abroad, including the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Korea, Colombia, the United States, Bulgaria, Egypt, Yemen, and others.
Collaboration with various institutions domestically and internationally is crucial in maintaining the program’s quality. Since 2022, the ALB Master’s Program and the IRS Doctoral Program have been developing Cross-Cultural Religious Studies with seven universities from seven countries across three continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia.
This program facilitates annual summer school programs and student exchange opportunities. Moreover, both programs collaborate on international research with universities in the UK, such as Coventry University, the University of Leeds, and the London School of Economics.
They have also conducted joint research with Boston University and produced several documentary films on Indonesia’s diversity. Currently, they are conducting joint research on religion and ecology with Radboud University (Netherlands).
These collaborations continue to be developed, including the PIIH Doctoral Program’s collaboration with the Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand; Durham University Business School, UK; Department of Shariah and Economics, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya; Institute of Halal Products Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia; and the Faculty of Economics and Management, National University of Malaysia.
Regarding teaching, the ALB Master’s Program collaborates with the Department of Religious Studies at Florida International University (FIU) to offer a course jointly taken by students from both universities. Together with FIU, the ALB Program facilitates students and alumni for international publications.
“We would also like to announce that starting in 2024, we will be hosting the 35-year-old international journal studies in interreligious dialogue, which Radboud University, Nijmegen, previously managed. This is another form of international collaboration that continues to be developed, and hopefully, it will further enhance the program’s and the faculty’s rankings,” explained Siti.
In terms of domestic collaborations, one of the initiatives in religious studies development is the Religious Freedom or Belief Fellowship (KBB). This fellowship involves 20-25 lecturers from various campuses in Indonesia and has been held annually since 2019 until now. Collaboration is also conducted with civil society organizations to disseminate knowledge and engage in community engagement activities.
However, the dean acknowledged that the ratio of lecturers to students and the exchange of foreign students and lecturers significantly influence educational quality. SPs UGM and the university continue to strive to improve the lecturer-to-student ratio and promote and support foreign student and lecturer exchange programs.
“Through these efforts, SPs UGM aims to enhance the quality of interfaith studies education and make this program a leading program in Indonesia and internationally recognized,” she concluded.
The UGM Graduate School has 14 master’s programs and 11 doctoral programs with interdisciplinary characteristics. Several programs have already received international certification and accreditation.
SPs UGM leadership continuously makes efforts to improve academic reputation, enhance graduate quality or reputation, and strengthen the integration and quality of the tri-dharma of higher education in each program to significantly impact society and achieve international standards.
“The programs and SPs UGM also strive to improve academic quality, increase publication citations and impact, and promote programs to the public. With these efforts, we hope to improve the programs’ rankings in the QS WUR by Subject and make it a leading program in Indonesia and internationally recognized,” she concluded.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Image: UGM Graduate School