Abstract
This study aims to analyze the implementation of religious moderation
at the State Islamic Higher Education (PTKIN) in Indonesia through
academic policies in the fields of education, research, and community
service programs. It is based on the empirical examination of the spread
of radical, extreme, and exclusive religious sects among higher education
civitas academica in Indonesia. The research combines qualitative and
quantitative approaches (mixed methods) simultaneously. Data sources
were randomly obtained from leaders, lecturers, and students at PTKIN
through interviews, observations, questionnaires, documentation, and
focus group discussions. Data analysis was carried out through data reduction, data display, and data verification, as well as statistical analysis
using the t-test with the SPSS 17.0 program. The results show that religious
moderation has been promoted through academic policies in education,
research, and community services, which aligns with Pancasila values
as the Indonesian state philosophy. This finding is strengthened by the
acquisition of a significant t-test < 0.05, which indicates that the academic
policies provide crucial support for implementing religious moderation
at PTKIN. Overall, this study confirms the idea that promoting religious
moderation should be seen as a crucial shared agenda since it plays a
pivotal role in determining the long-term viability of a country.
A. Introduction
The measurement of tolerant views and practices
towards the plurality of Indonesian society can be classified
into two dimensions: socio-religious and socio-political. In
the socio-religious dimension, trust and tolerance among
youngsters from diverse backgrounds and interests are still
a fundamental problem. For example, it can be seen during
the Indonesian reform period, when religious activists and
minority groups experienced violent behavior as a result of the
state’s failure to manage religious diversity and the plurality of
society (Hasan, 2017, p. 107). Similar cases occurred in Africa
between Muslims and animists and in India between Hindus
and Muslims (Quinn, 2001, p. 57). In Norway, Christian and
Muslim religious leaders have sought to gain followers and
influence among their co-religionists by claiming to be better
at checking social and political influence than their fellow
religious leaders (Dowd, 2014, p. 7).
The aforementioned instances indicate that underneath
the surface of the prevalent attitude of religious tolerance, underlying differences could lead to conflicts and give rise to
extremist groups.
Higher education, as an agent of social change, must
be aware of problems related to intolerance and inclusivity.
Strengthening religious moderation is important to ensure
that educational institutions play a crucial role in sowing
and strengthening diversity. Such institutions are expected to
carry out this role so that the depiction of Islam in Indonesia
looks friendly, hospitable, tolerant, moderate, and dignified
in the eyes of the world. Indonesia’s Muslim schools are also
essential, as they can educate children to understand and
practice religion while promoting a sense of nationalism
(Zuhdi, 2018). Meanwhile, the State Islamic Higher Education
(PTKIN) in Indonesia can also serve as a role model because
the values of tasamuh (tolerance), tawasut (moderate),
tawazun (balanced), and i’tidal (upright and straight) are
developed and infused within it. These values are incorporated
in an integrative manner into all courses while consistently
developing an educational model that is in line with Pancasila
as the basis and the philosophy of the state. This notion is
proven by research showing that literary-based learning is
useful in promoting and developing religious moderation
(Manshur & Husni, 2020).
Further, a study states that in most parts of the world,
higher education institutions act as channels of social mobility
as they support the establishment of national professions and
industries (Fadjukoff, 2015). Higher education is expected
to play a major role in building the state and the nation. The
rise of discussions and movements on religious moderation
in Indonesia shows evidence of university participation Therefore, higher education and PTKIN, in particular, must
oversee and ensure that the implementation of religious
moderation in Indonesia can run effectively and productively.
Religious moderation in Indonesia has been observed
from various perspectives. Umar (2016, p. 399), in his
writing of “Islam moderat dalam Politik Luar Negeri Indonesia
Kontemporer” (Moderate Islam in Contemporary Indonesian
Foreign Policy), stated that there are three discourses on Islam
in Indonesian foreign policy using a genealogical approach.
Meanwhile, Hilmy (2013, p. 24) analyzes moderate ideology
in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah. Another
study was conducted by Ni’am (2015, p. 111), which is about
pesantren as a miniature of moderate Islam in Indonesia. In
addition, Muhsin et al. (2019, p. 45) examine revolutionary
movements by forming a moderate student organization
called Lembaga Dakwah Kampus (the Campus Dakwah
Institute, or LDK). Achilov and Sen (2017, p. 608) have also
discussed moderate Islam and whether devout Muslims and
moderate Muslims have political differences in attitudes
and behavior. Furthermore, Menchik (2019) examines the
relationship between moderate Islamic organizations and
the implementation of democracy in Indonesia by taking
the case studies of two Islamic organizations, namely NU
and Muhammadiyah. The two organizations that promote
religious moderation have supported a culture of democracy
amid a plural civil society.
Unlike the previous studies, this study focuses on the
academic policies of PTKIN leaders in implementing and
promoting religious moderation. The policies in question
cover the fields of education, research, and community service. Academically, this research is expected to be a
reference in developing theory, particularly concerning the
theory of religious moderation, which focuses on intra- and
inter-religious harmony. This theory can strengthen existing
theories as well as explain new theories regarding the
symptoms and findings that emerged during the research.
Practically, this research is expected to assist policymakers
in making civil society governance more appropriate. In
addition, this research is also expected to help stakeholders
understand state policies to achieve inter-religious harmony
under the Pancasila values.
B. Literature Review
1. Academic Policies
The term ‘policy’ is generally used to describe the
behaviour of a person, such as an official, a group, or a
particular institution, to solve the problem at hand. In the
United Nations, policies are guidelines for action (Wahab,
2017). The guidelines can be simple or complex, general
or specific, broad or narrow, vague or clear, loose or
detailed, qualitative or quantitative, and public or private.
In this sense, policy is usually in the form of a declaration
regarding guidelines for action, certain directions for
action, or particular programs or plans. This opinion is
reinforced by Knoepfel et al. (2007), who define policy as a
series of decisions or actions as a result of structured and
repeated interactions among various actors, both public
(government) and private. These actors are involved in
various activities, such as responding to, identifying, and solving a problem that is politically defined as public.
The policy adopted thus implies two things: a group
of problems with specific characteristics and policymaking as a process. When considering the perspective
of educational advancement, the implications of national
education policy refer to endeavors aimed at enhancing
the overall standard and quality of a nation’s existence
by cultivating its national culture. Therefore, in making
decisions, problems will always be found. In this context,
policies are related to academic issues, namely education
and teaching, research, and community service programs.
According to Lian (2019, p. 102), these three areas are
the basic pillars of a mindset that must be carried out
in a balanced manner and adapted to the demands,
developments, and needs of the times.
Academic policies must refer to applicable laws
and regulations and consider the principles of preparing
a policy (Wibowo, 2011). The institutional development
of tertiary institutions has guidelines, as regulated in
Article 8, that (1) in the implementation of education and
the development of science and technology, academic
freedom, freedom of academic forums, and scientific
autonomy apply. (2) The development of science and
technology as referred to in Paragraph 1 is carried
out by the academic community through learning and
scientific research while upholding religious values and
national unity for the advancement of civilization and
the welfare of humankind. (3) The implementation of
academic freedom, freedom of academic expression,
and scientific autonomy in tertiary institutions is the personal responsibility of the academic community,
which must be protected and facilitated by the leadership
of the tertiary institution.
All forms of academic policy development models
will certainly have implications for educational and
teaching models, curricula, learning materials, and
instructional activities in the classroom. In general, a
learning model is a form of learning that is illustrated from
start to finish and is presented specially by educators and
education staff. In other words, the learning model is a
wrap or frame for the application of an approach, method,
and learning technique (Komalasari, 2010, p. 57).
2. Religious Moderation
Moderate (al-wasat) is generally interpreted
as a method of thinking, interacting, and behaving
in a balanced manner in addressing two situations.
This moderate attitude follows Islamic principles and
community traditions, namely balance in faith, worship,
and morals (Hanafi, 2013). According to Esposito, the
terms “moderate” and “moderatism” are conceptual
nomenclatures that are difficult to define (Hilmy, 2013,
p. 25). The interpretation of this phrase varies depending
on the religious groups or scientists involved, leading
to contestation and differing understandings based on
the specific circumstances and individuals involved. The
difficulty in interpreting this is because the treasures
of classical Islamic thought do not recognize the term
moderatism. The use and understanding of it usually refer
to several equivalent Arabic words, such as al-tawassut (moderation), al-qisth (justice), al-tawâzun (balance), ali’tidâl (harmony).
However, the use of the term religious moderation
is not without problems. This term is usually juxtaposed
with radical. Moderates are conventionally those who
seek gradual change by working within the existing
political system; radicals, by contrast, seek to overthrow
that system in its entirety (Schwedler, 2011, p. 347).
Furthermore, Schwedler (2011) examines the debate
among scientists about this moderation when it is
attributed to Muslims. According to him, scientists differ
on whether the term moderate is more appropriate to
use as an objective or a tactic. Scholars who understand
the term moderate-radical as an objective state that
the majority of Muslims use a fundamental approach
in seeking changes to social, political, and economic
relations and, therefore, tend to be ‘radical.’ On the one
hand, scientists who use moderate-radical as a tactic
argue that their entry—Islamic groups—into the existing
legal constellation, such as participating in the general
election, can be categorized as ‘moderate.’ On the other
hand, Islamic groups that use a violent approach to
achieve their goals are categorized as ‘radical.’
Meanwhile, Islam and Khatun (2015) explain that
Western scholars use the term as a ‘process’ rather than a
‘category” when comparing the use of the term moderate
by the West and Islam. They previously tended to use a
harsh and radical approach when allowed to participate
in democratic practices. In subsequent developments,
this Islamic group began to accommodate democratic practices and abandoned its old anti-western attitude
to become pro-western. Islam and Khatun (2015)
also highlight that the use of the term moderate by
the West has significant political connotations. They
emphasized that “the characteristic of the Western
enterprise of moderation is merely a political one. For
them, it has nothing to do with a belief or legal system.”
The moderate attitude in the Western perspective has
nothing to do with the belief system held by Muslims; a
viewpoint that is afterward refuted by Islam and Khatun
(2015). In this case, religious moderation is not merely a
position between the extreme left and the extreme right.
Religious moderation is an intellectual, moral, legal, and
behavioral approach that promotes non-extremism.
What Schwedler (2011) and Islam and Khatun
(2015) said above can make it easier to understand the
concept of religious moderation in the Indonesian context.
Religious moderation is the practice of religion that is
not extreme or radical and always does not emphasize
violence. With this character, it prioritizes tolerance,
harmony, and cooperation with different religious groups.
Developing an understanding of religious moderation in
the Indonesian context is so important, considering that
there are various religions and ethnicities within it. The
notion of religious moderation encourages individuals
to practice their religious beliefs in a contextual manner,
acknowledging that variations and variety are inherent
aspects of divine decree (sunnatullah), which cannot be
disregarded. If this practice is implemented, it can be
reasonably asserted that religion will serve as a catalyst for promoting peace and fostering humanitarian values.
C. Methods
The method used in this research is mixed methods with
a sequential exploratory model, which combines qualitative
and quantitative research sequentially. In the first stage, the
research was carried out using qualitative methods to prove,
deepen, and expand the data obtained; in the second stage, the
research was conducted using quantitative methods to obtain
descriptive and comparative data. Primary data sources
include lecturers, students, and PTKIN leaders in Indonesia.
The sampling technique used is simple random sampling, i.e.,
sampling is done randomly without regard to strata in the
population because the population tends to be homogeneous.
Data were obtained through interviews, questionnaires,
observation, documentation, and focus group discussions.
This questionnaire is proposed to reveal the attitudes,
opinions, and perceptions, individually or collectively, about
Developing Moderate Islam in Islamic state universities.
The interview used an open-ended questionnaire to provide
freedom for the participants to answer the questions about
responses, opinions, and procedures used by the lecturer in
implementing moderate Islam in Islamic state universities.
Qualitative data were analyzed based on Cresswell’s
theory (2017, p. 276) with the following steps: processing and
preparing data; reading all the data; analyzing in more detail
by coding the data; applying the coding process; and showing
how these descriptions and themes will be presented back
in a narrative or qualitative report. Meanwhile, quantitative data were analyzed using the statistical t-test assisted by the
SPSS 17.0 for Windows program by first carrying out a data
normality test. Furthermore, to determine the validity of the
data, researchers used a concurrent triangulation strategy.
Here, the researcher collects data concurrently (at one time)
and then compares the two data sets to determine whether
there is convergence, difference, or some combination. In
this strategy, mixing occurs when the research reaches the
stage of interpretation and discussion. This methods-mixing
is done by integrating or comparing the results of qualitative
and quantitative data side by side in the discussion.
D. Results
PTKIN’s seriousness in realizing religious moderation
is realized through various policies that regulate the activities
of the Tridarma of higher education. Almost all PTKIN leaders
in Indonesia have policies that regulate efforts to develop
religious moderation on campus. According to Mujiburahman
in his interview, he said that life had entered an extreme period.
Many students do not know their purpose. Thus, the initiated
program required new students to live in the dormitory for
two months to receive education, one of which was ‘Islam
and Nationality’. Its mission is to instill the values of religious
moderation with a national perspective. In addition to this, our
attention is also directed towards the psychological domains
of students, with the aim of cultivating an understanding
of ‘Islam’ as a comprehensive way of life rather than only a
cognitive pursuit. The notion that warrants consideration is
the concept of moderate Islam (Mujiburahman, interview,
November 10, 2019).
PTKIN must be able to become a center for the
development of religious moderation; therefore, PTKIN
seeks to make religious moderation one of the main issues in
teaching, research, and community service activities. Related
to this, the academic community—in this case, lecturers and
students—responds positively to various efforts to develop
religious moderation on campus. This can be seen from the
results of the questionnaire calculations presented in Tables
1 and 2 below
Table 1. Statistical Data on the Development of Religious Moderation
through Academic Policies
Based on Table 1, the standard deviation of the
lecturer’s academic policy questionnaire is 0.71771, and
the standard deviation of the student’s academic policy
questionnaire is 0.63798. The standard deviation obtained
by the two questionnaires is small, meaning that most of the
scores obtained, both for lecturers and students, are around
the average. The average score of the questionnaire filled
out by lecturers regarding academic policies supporting the
religious moderation development system was 3.9301, while
the average score of the questionnaire filled out by students
was 3.7750. Both the average score of the questionnaire is
above the middle value.
Table 2. Results of the Questionnaire T-Test on the Development of Religious
Moderation through Academic Policies
Based on Table 2, the significance value of the lecturer’s
academic policy t-test is 0.038, and the significance value of
the student’s academic policy t-test is 0.000. The value will be
smaller if both are compared with α (95% significance level)
= 0.005. That is, in the second hypothesis test of academic
policies (both lecturers and students), the null hypothesis (H0)
is rejected, and the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted.
To strengthen the results of the quantitative calculations
above, this research also describes several policies in the
academic field that are used to develop religious moderation.
This policy is outlined in several academic programs covering
the fields of education, research, and community service, as
follows:
1. Academic Policy in the Field of Education
There are five indicators of academic policy in the
implementation of religious moderation in the education
sector, as follows:
a. Policies that govern the internalization of the
values of Pancasila and Indonesian nationalism in
education and teaching
The program to support the above policies is
to prepare PTKIN graduates who behave according to the values of Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution,
and tolerant, inclusive, and moderate Islam.
PTKIN leaders are committed to making Pancasila
Education compulsory, as mandated by Law
Number 12 of 2012 concerning higher education.
One of the PTKIN leaders emphasized that:
Implementation of the Pancasila course is not only
an individual need as a citizen but also a state need.
Progress in citizen education will automatically
increase the greatness of the country. This issue is
important so that PTKIN graduates can become
Indonesian citizens who have a national character,
desire to advance the country, and care for their
nation. (Mahmudin, interview, September 30,
2019)
This policy also received support from the
majority of PTKIN lecturers (84.6%), as seen in the
Semester Syllabus (RPS). They include the vision
and mission of the campus, which leads to religious
moderation. In addition, 90% of the lecturers also
include the values of Pancasila and the vision
and mission of the Unitary State of the Republic
of Indonesia. Not only in the RPS formula, but the
majority of lecturers (91%) also include books
and other reference sources that do not conflict
with Pancasila values or the vision and mission of
the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia in
the RPS. This implies that most lecturers are very
selective in choosing reading books for students
so that they are free from misleading reading.
b. Policies that encourage lecturers to teach the
importance of tolerance for differences in belief
and religion in society
Regarding this point, most students
acknowledged that most lecturers (87.5%)
complied with this policy. They educate students
about the importance of tolerance in dealing with
differences in religious beliefs in society. In every
lecture, the lecturer always mentions the urgency
of tolerance in the lives of the nation and state.
Almost all lecturers educate about the importance
of tolerance in dealing with differences in religious
beliefs that are continually developing in society.
One of the students in the Department of Islamic
Communication conveyed his comments about
tolerance literacy in academic habituation as
follows:
On campus, lecturers do not discriminate against
students, be it those from Muhammadiyah, NU, Al-Irsyad, or others. Another proof is that the campus
also uses students as friends and discussion partners.
We never make a problem out of differences in belief,
whether it’s about prayer or other acts of worship.
Leaders and lecturers always provide space for
tolerance, so there are rarely coachman discussions
that cause tension. (Mahmudin, interview,
September 26, 2019)
The results of the student interview are in
line with the PTKIN student questionnaires, which
stated that 98% of PTKIN lecturers delivered messages about the importance of tolerance in
addressing differences in religious sects, either
implicitly or explicitly.
c. Policies that encourage lecturers to teach the
importance of comprehensively understanding
religion
Apart from strengthening the culture of
tolerance, the lecturers also campaigned for
the importance of understanding religion both
textually and contextually. The questionnaire
results show that students recognize the vital
role of lecturers’ scientific insights at PTKIN
as enlighteners in understanding religious
propositions. Lecturers study texts and contexts
to understand the arguments of the Koran and
Hadith. Nearly 98% of students learn about the
complexities of religious texts in responding to the
dynamics of life. This aligns with the narrative of a
student who admits that the lecturer’s explanation
of how to understand religion is very clear and
detailed because it involves many perspectives.
One of the courses that is always available on the
PTKIN campus is Methodology of Islamic Studies
or MSI. This course is a compulsory subject at the
institute level. Through this course, the lecturer
awakens students to balance patterns of religious
understanding, both textually and contextually.
(Mahmudin, interview, September 26, 2019)
The examination of religious understanding
should apply many methodologies, such as textual
and contextual, rather than relying just on a single
methodology. The textualist group places significant
emphasis on the objective interpretation of the
text, while contextualists engage in analyzing the
contextual factors around the text. This study aims
to provide a thorough understanding of Islamic
studies using two distinct methodologies: textual
analysis and contextual interpretation. This is
where the Islamic Studies Methodology course
plays an important role in making students aware
of Islamic teachings. Therefore, a comprehensive
interpretation should ideally be carried out using
a combination of two approaches at once, namely
the textual and contextual approaches.
d. Policies that encourage lecturers to teach the
importance of Islam in a polite manner while
refraining from the use of violent means
Apart from a comprehensive understanding
of religion, PTKIN also encourages its lecturers to
educate students about the importance of carrying
out Islamic teachings in a polite and non-violent
manner. This policy is essential, considering
the widespread pattern of communication and
dissemination of religion, which involves violent
and non-peaceful acts. In this case, PTKIN has
warned students early on to stay away from violence in the name of religion through various
seminars or discussion forums on campus. UIN
Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, for example, held
a seminar on March 28, 2016, with the theme
“Mengantisipasi ISIS, Mencegah Kekerasan atas
Nama Agama (Anticipating ISIS, Preventing
Violence in the Name of Religion).”
Apart from going through seminar forums
and scientific studies, the role of lecturers in
promoting friendly, polite, and non-violent Islam
is very clearly visible. This is shown by the high
percentage of lecturers, almost 95%, who associate
lectures with messages of peace from Islam. One
way for lecturers to campaign for peaceful Islam
and non-violence is through explanations about
the differences in religious sects presented in
lectures, both structured and non-structured. An
interview with one of the PTKIN lecturers obtained
the following data:
Differences of opinion in implementing religious
law often lead to divisions and hostility among
Muslims. We emphasize to students that these
differences are addressed carefully. For example,
some khilafiah issues such as reciting qunut, the
number of cycles of tarawih prayers, praying
together out loud, congregational dhikr, tarekat,
baiat (oath of allegiance), commemoration of the
birth of the Prophet, Isra Mi’raj, and so on. In this
nuance, students are educated to become broad-minded undergraduate candidates. Apart from that,
we also encourage them to study the legal basis of each opinion so that they have lots of references
and arguments. So, in this way, students will be
trained to be wise in their differences in religious
understanding. (Mahmudin, interview, September
29, 2019)
Differences in understanding religion will
continue to exist in people’s lives because everyone
has different opinions and perspectives. Things
like this must be instilled in students so that they
do not understand religion only from one point of
view or use one approach. With this, the students
are not easy to blame when they find differences
with themselves and can avoid radical ideas.
e. Policy regarding the freedom of lecturers to explain
religious teachings from various schools of thought
(madzhab)
To minimize extreme and radical religious
views among students, PTKIN encourages lecturers
to explain religious issues according to different
schools of thought. This policy received a positive
response, as the lecturers were really enthusiastic
about providing religious insights from various
references and points of view. Lecturers always
provide opportunities for students to discuss
differences in religious sects during lectures and
outside lectures. The intensity of the discussion
depends on the dynamics of issues that are
currently developing, whether on a local, national, or global scale. The more sensitive an issue is,
the higher the intensity of discussions involving
lecturers and students. These discussions can
occur in person or virtually. Specifically, one of
the courses developed in the PTKIN curriculum is
Masailul Fiqh. One lecturer stated:
We use several steps in explaining khilafiyah
(dissent). The first is mutual tolerance. We need
to put forward an attitude of tolerance when a
conclusion refers to Qhath’i sources of law. The
second is not to force an opinion. No matter how much
we believe in one opinion, which is ijtihadiyyah, this
should not make us deny other opinions, let alone
oblige everyone to follow our opinion. The third is
prioritizing equality. Finding common ground is
recommended in Islam. The fourth is to continue to
explore the problem or tafaqquh. Tafaqquh means
the earnest effort that we make to understand
God’s law. We continue to try to improve our
tafaqquh so that we can understand the arguments
that are used as the basis by the scholars in their
concluding opinions. The fifth is mutual respect.
Did the differences of opinion among the scholars
make their relationship tenuous? Or humiliate each
other? No, absolutely not. That’s how we deal with
differences of opinion. Students and community
organizations should follow in the footsteps of
their scholars, who have inherited the knowledge
of the prophets consistently (istiqomah). (DUIL01,
interview, September 24, 2019)
The approach used by the lecturer is in line
with the student’s opinion that the PTKIN lecturer
has provided insight into khilafiyah in a more comprehensive and detailed manner. Students
admit that the role of the majority of lecturers in
introducing Islam to various religious sects makes
the students’ religious way of thinking much more
open and comprehensive. This is also shown by
the high percentage (81.7%) where the lecturer
gives sufficient time for students to discuss various
kinds of religious sects in lectures.
In addition to opening students’ religious
insights and thoughts more broadly, the policy
also encourages lecturers to contextually explain
the relationship between local culture, traditions,
and religious values. The majority of lecturers
have a collective awareness of how to explain to
students the relationship between culture, local
traditions, and religious values. This issue arises
due to the apprehensions expressed by many
stakeholders regarding religious radicalism,
including the government, community leaders,
education practitioners, religious leaders, and
academics in tertiary institutions. In response
to this phenomenon, various concrete efforts to
strengthen the commitment to diversity within
the framework of nationality among students are
necessary. The results of an interview with one of
the lecturers were stated as follows:
There is a concern that if religious radicalism is
increasingly mushrooming, it is predicted that it can
distort and even oppose Pancasila as the nation’s ideology. The facts show that the proliferation of
radical and fundamental religious ideas cannot be
separated from the influence of globalization. Many
students do not fully understand the meaning of
globalization and only take it in a negative light.
If these symptoms are not immediately addressed,
there will be many differences that lead to disunity.
Therefore, my friends and I try to explain broadly
the currents in Islam, which are one form of the
different opinions of the ancient people. In Islam,
there are actually many sects that spread and
teach Islam in various versions. (DIP02, interview,
September 29, 2019).
Apart from the interview above, the
quantitative data also shows students’
acknowledgment that most lecturers at PTKIN
(91.7%) try to explain to students the relationship
between local culture and traditions and contextual
religious values. Harmonization between these
components is vital to create a harmonious life
that protects and complements each other.
2. Academic Policy in the Field of Research
In addition to policies governing education and
teaching, PTKIN campus leaders also regulate lecturer
research. Based on the results of the research conducted,
there are two indicators of the implementation of religious
moderation policies in the research field, as follows:
a. Policy on research that incorporates the values of
Pancasila and Indonesian nationalism
PTKIN’s policy encourages lecturers to
conduct research with study program-based
research themes with an Indonesian perspective.
This refers to the Director General’s Decree
Number 2019 concerning Religious Standards
for Islamic Higher Religious Education. Religious
standards in research content are a minimum
criterion in the Islamic religion. The depth and
breadth of the research material are also directed
at integrating science and Islamic sciences that are
rahmatan lil-alamin. One lecturer stated:
Campus leaders through LP2M socialize about
research guidelines that will be approved by each
campus (Satker). Planning, implementation, and
reporting of research on campus must be carried out
in a directed, measurable, and programmed manner
by referring to the National Higher Education
Standards and taking into account aspects of the
integration of science and Islamic sciences that are
rahmatan lil-alamin to build a religious, moderate,
and tolerant society. (Mahmudin, interview,
September 29, 2019).
To strengthen the interview results above,
the questionnaire calculation also showed that
most lecturers (87.1%) stated the importance
of research themes that used the Pancasila and
Indonesian nationalism paradigms as national ideologies for thesis writing, theses, and other
research activities.
b. Policy on scientific publications that include the
values of Pancasila and Indonesian nationalism
The publication is an important tradition
that becomes the identity of a university. Based on
the research results related to policies governing
religious moderation in scientific publications,
most lecturers explained the importance of
studying program-based scientific publication
themes from an Indonesian and Indonesian
nationalism perspective. This can be traced from
the titles of publications that have been published.
The majority of lecturers refer to the applicable
scientific publication standards. Consistency
with Indonesian-informed themes starts at the
planning, implementation, and publishing stages.
Their publications have complied with systematic
scientific principles and methods in accordance
with scientific autonomy, academic culture, and
applicable standards. A lecturer explained that:
The planning, implementation, and reporting of
publication activities on campus are carried out in
a directed, measurable, and programmed manner
by referring to the National Higher Education
Standards and taking into account the Islamic
aspects that are rahmatan lil-alamin to create
publication substance that promotes religious,
moderate, and tolerant attitudes among studentsa nd the general public. (DIP04, interview, September
30, 2019).
What was done by PTKIN lecturers received
positive responses from students. Students
acknowledged that the lecturers had explained
the importance of studying program-based
scientific publication themes from an Indonesian
perspective. Apart from socializing the identity
of the archipelago, this publication also reaches
out to national and international journals in
order to gain wider recognition. The results of
the questionnaire filled out by students show that
PTKIN lecturers are committed to campaigning
for Indonesian insights and themes in scientific
publications, both in periodical journals and
popular media. In overall, 97.4% of lecturers apply
policies regarding the publication of scientific
papers from an Indonesian perspective.
3. Academic Policy in the Field of Community Service
The following academic policy is on the aspect
of community service. PTKIN leaders also regulate
community service programs among lecturers to include
the values of Pancasila and Indonesian nationalism.
Most of the lecturers at PTKIN explained local wisdombased community service themes from an Indonesian
perspective. As in the field of research, the community
service activities also refer to the Director General’s Decree
Number 2019 concerning Religious Standards for Islamic Higher Religious Education. Religious standards on the
results of community service are the minimum criteria
in the Islamic religion. The results of community service
at PTKIN are in the form of implementing, practicing, and
preaching Islamic sciences that are rahmatan lil-alamin,
polarizing the use of science and technology to advance
public welfare and educate the nation’s life, and building
a religious, moderate, and tolerant Indonesian society.
One lecturer expressed his opinion as follows:
Religious standards in community service activities
are the minimum criteria regarding the depth and
breadth of community service material in Islamic
sciences that are rahmatan lil-alamin to build
a religious, moderate, and tolerant Indonesian
society. The depth and breadth of the community
service material refer to religious standards for the
results of community service. As a lecturer, I agree
with this policy, considering that people must be
properly educated to love their country and nation
more. (Mahmudin, interview, September 29, 2019)
What was done by the PTKIN lecturer above
received appreciation from their students. The results of
the questionnaire filled out by students prove that PTKIN
lecturers are committed to raising local wisdom themes
in community service activities, starting with Field Study
and Community Service (Kuliah Kerja Nyata/KKN),
community empowerment, and other similar programs.
E. Discussion
The existence of PTKIN has helped the government
carry out tasks to improve the quality of society and
the nation through access to higher education. Globally,
universities contribute to the development of high-quality
human resources through a variety of activities. It can be said
that all aspects of the country’s development are in synergy
with the work carried out by universities. O’Carroll et al.
(2006) explain that universities perform vital functions both
as generators of new knowledge through their leading-edge
research activities and as trainers of highly qualified labor.
In this sense, religious moderation is a national policy
mandate contained in the National Medium-Term Development
Plan document and translated into the Ministry of Religious
Affairs strategic plan. It is permanently institutionalized
through various state instruments, including formal and nonformal education, from primary school to university. The rise
of the religious moderation movement in Indonesia cannot
be separated from the role of universities, especially Islamic
universities. It cannot be denied that religiosity influences
student academic ethics (de Soto et al., 2018, p. 201).
The majority of PTKIN campuses have provisions
governing education and teaching that incorporate the values
of Pancasila and Indonesian nationalism (Rohayana & Sofi,
2020, p. 213). All PTKIN leaders make Pancasila Education
a compulsory subject. The existence of the Pancasila
Education course has played a significant role in laying a
strong foundation for Islamic higher education in Indonesia.
Watson (2004, p. 268) states that there is a complementary relationship between religious education and citizenship
education. This is also in line with research conducted by
Mason (2018, p. 17) that suggests that these schools should be
required to provide a civic education that is well-designed to
help cultivate in children an appreciation of the importance of
these virtues; they should be required to cultivate in children
a capacity for critical reflection.
In line with policies in the academic field, the entire
lecture process must pay attention to Islamic values, in which
learning outcomes are achieved through patience (istibar),
perseverance (hirsun), honesty (sidiq), and trustworthiness.
In addition, the process is also carried out by prioritizing
good morals, meaning that learning outcomes are achieved
through good character. Thus, lecturers must prepare a
semester syllabus (RPS) by incorporating the campus vision
and mission that lead to religious moderation. The hope is
that the learning process takes place in the form of interaction
between students and lecturers that is carried out humanely
and andragogically. According to Gözükara (2015, p. 464), the
inclusion of vision and mission is an integral part of strategic
planning, especially in tertiary institutions, which have three
strategic functions: teaching and education, research, and
community service. Declaring a vision and mission in the
learning process is a strengthening of institutional identity in
order to welcome a highly competitive future. In addition to
the vision and mission, the books and reference sources used
and included in the RPS also do not contradict the values of
Pancasila or the vision and mission of the Unitary State of the
Republic of Indonesia. This finding aligns with research results
stating that selected literature influences potential attitudes, behaviors, academic success, and the future (Whitten et al.,
2016, p. 58).
Academic policies that lead to religious moderation
also regulate the management of differences in the lecture
process. Almost all lecturers educate about the importance
of tolerance in dealing with differences in religious beliefs
that are constantly developing in society. Tolerance has
been proposed as a necessary response to global research
on cultural and religious diversity (Verkuyten et al., 2019, p.
5). In addition, Hjerm et al. (2020, p. 898) also mention that
tolerance is often invoked as something to which individuals
and societies should aspire, especially given that diversity
in all its forms is increasingly a feature of contemporary
democracy.
The majority of PTKIN also condition their lecturers to
educate students and introduce them to the importance of
practicing Islam in a polite manner and not using violence.
Purwanto (2020, p. 3849) also agrees on this matter;
deradicalization education or peace education must be
realized in higher education since the complex challenges of
life are increasing nowadays. This policy is very important,
considering the widespread patterns of communication and
dissemination of religion, which involve actions that lead to
violence and are far from peaceful. Other studies also show
that Islamic moderation is said to be one of the key factors
contributing to the promotion of peace in Muslim societies
(Zaduqisti et al., 2020). One way for lecturers to campaign for
peaceful Islam and non-violence is through discussion forums
regarding differences in religious sects in structured and nonstructured lectures Generally, the policy of religious moderation in the
academic field of the PTKIN campus also encourages its
lecturers to explain religious issues according to different
schools of Islamic thought. This policy received a positive
response, as the lecturers were enthusiastic about providing
religious insights with multiple references, especially on
religious issues containing multiple interpretations. In line
with this, Muhtada (2012, p. 79) said that pluralism and
multiculturalism values are strongly promoted in Islamic
teachings and can be a significant starting point for developing
diversity management in the Islamic context. The students
acknowledged that the role of the majority of lecturers in
introducing Islam to various religious sects made the way
of religious thinking much broader. This is in line with the
findings of Van (2018, p. 44) that the role of academic advisors
and lecturers has a positive effect on student development,
including academic achievement, personality development,
career development, and social development.
In addition to opening students’ insights and religious
thoughts more broadly, campus policies in the field of
education and teaching condition the lecturers to explain
the relationship between local culture and traditions, and
religious values contextually. These three variables are
meeting points that cannot be denied in the process of Islamic
da’wah. The lecturers illustrated the da’wah process as a
process of grounding the Islamic religion by not abandoning
the culture of the local community and local traditions
that have characteristics. This is in line with the opinion of
Schlehe and Nisa (2016, p. 16) that there is harmony between
Islam and local culture, as expressed in the concept of Islam Nusantara in Indonesia.
The term religious moderation itself is rooted in the
Islamic tradition (Schmid, 2017). Through its long history
and practice among the people, Islam is not only a belief
that stands alone but has intersected with the culture and
traditions that existed in the Arab world at that time. The
majority of lecturers have a collective awareness to explain
to students the relationship between local culture and
traditions, and religious values contextually. Abdullah (2015,
p. 175) argues that the paradigm of integration of Islamic
sciences, science, and culture has a major influence on shaping
religious perspectives, both social and cultural. Saihu et al.
(2020, p. 3761) also believe that culture is a part of religion in
the sense that the latter (religion) authentically aims to help
bless people and perpetuate peace among them.
The PTKIN campus academic policy also encourages
lecturers to conduct research and community service with
study program-based themes from an Indonesian perspective.
This is in line with the results of research by Mayrl and Oeur
(2009, p. 272), which found that new research into the
demographic and institutional contexts of student religious
engagements would greatly enhance our understanding of
the role of religion in the academy. Amir (2013, p. 54) said
that Pancasila ideology was included to realize the spirit of
love for the motherland.
These various policies, in the areas of education,
research, and community service, positively impact the
academic atmosphere by implementing religious moderation
on campus. This is in line with the findings of Ekawati et al.
(2019, p. 69), which state that they are fixing the curriculum system in education to be even more effective in preventing
and deterring radicalism. These results are supported by
the findings of quantitative data. Based on quantitative data
analysis, the results of which can be seen in Table 2, the
average score of the two questionnaires is above the middle
value, or in other words, the hypothesis (Ha) that academic
policy (both lecturers and students) at PTKIN supports the
development system of religious moderation in Indonesia is
acceptable. In addition, as the results of the calculations are
presented in Table 3 above, it can be concluded that policies
in the academic field, whether carried out by lecturers or
students, provide significant support for the implementation
of religious moderation in PTKIN.
F. Conclusion
Religious moderation is one of the top-down policies and
is formulated explicitly in the national mid-term development
plan document that has been stipulated by the President. This
policy is strategic because it is oriented towards inter-religious
harmony and relates to national stability. As part of the
government system, PTKIN implements religious moderation
through campus internal policy products. The present study
was specially designed to analyze the implementation of
religious moderation through academic policies at the State
Islamic Higher Education (PTKIN) in Indonesia.
This study has found that the State Islamic Higher
Education (PTKIN) leaders have made real efforts to develop
religious moderation through various kinds of academic
policies. In education, PTKINs govern the internalization
of the values of Pancasila and Indonesian nationalism in instructional activities and encourage lecturers to emphasize
the importance of tolerance for differences, comprehensive
religious understanding, polite manners, and the freedom to
discuss various schools of thought. In research, publication,
and community service, PTKINs consistently incorporate
the values of Pancasila and Indonesian nationalism. This
qualitative finding is strengthened by statistical analysis
using the t-test, and a significance value of less than 0.005
is obtained, which means that the null hypothesis (H0) is
rejected. In other words, it can be concluded that PTKIN’s
academic policies support the development of a system of
religious moderation in Indonesia. In summary, this study
concludes that academic policies on religious moderation
should be strengthened for the long-term preservation of
national harmony.
REFERENCE
Abdullah, M. A. (2015). Religion, science, and culture: An
integrated, interconnected paradigm of science. Al-Jami’ah: Journal of Islamic Studies, 52(1), 175. https://
doi.org/10.14421/ajis.2014.521.175-203
Achilov, D., & Sen, S. (2017). Got Political Islam? Are politically
moderate muslims really different from radicals?
International Political Science Review, 38(5), 608–624.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512116641940
Amir, S. (2013). Pancasila as integration philosophy of
education and national character. International Journal
of Scientific and Technology Research, 2(1), 54–57. www.
ijstr.org
Cresswell, J. W. (2017). Research design pendekatan kualitatif,
kuantitatif, dan mixed. 3th Ed. Pustaka Pelajar.
de Soto, W., Tajalli, H., Pino, N. W., & Smith, C. L. (2018). The
effect of college students’ religious involvement on their
academic ethic. Religion and Education, 45(2), 190–207.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15507394.2018.1425077
Dowd, R. A. (2014). Religious diversity and religious tolerance:
Lessons from Nigeria. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 60(4),
617–644. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022002714550085
Ekawati, E., Suparta, M., Sirin, K., Maftuhah, M., & Pifianti, A.
(2019). Moderation of higher education curriculum in
religious deradicalization in Indonesia. TARBIYA: Journal
of Education in Muslim Society, 6(2), 169–178. https://
doi.org/10.15408/tjems.v6i2.14886
Fadjukoff, P. (2015). Promoting 21st century literacy education
in Zambia. In Hölttä, S., Moore, A.& Pekkola, E. (Eds.) Higher
education institutions - Partnering for development and
change : Reflections of the first round of the Finnish HEI ICI programme. (pp. 124-145) CIMO. Retrieved from http://
urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-201709153739
Hanafi, M. M. (2013). Moderasi Islam: Menangkal radikalisasi
berbasis agama. Ikatan Alumni al-Azhar.
Hasan, N. (2017). Religious diversity and blasphemy law:
Understanding growing religious conflict and intolerance
in post-Suharto Indonesia. Al-Jami’ah, 55(1), 105–126.
https://doi.org/10.14421/ajis.2017.551.105-126
Hilmy, M. (2013). Whether Indonesia’s Islamic moderatism? A
reexamination on the moderate vision of Muhammadiyah
and NU. Journal of Indonesian Islam, 7(1), 24–48. https://
doi.org/10.15642/JIIS.2013.7.1.24-48
Hjerm, M., Eger, M. A., Bohman, A., & Fors Connolly, F. (2020). A
new approach to the study of tolerance: Conceptualizing
and measuring acceptance, respect, and appreciation of
difference. Social Indicators Research, 147(3), 897–919.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-019-02176-y
Islam, T., & Khatun, A. (2015). “Islamic moderation” in
perspectives: A comparison between oriental and
occidental scholarships. International Journal of
Nusantara Islam, 3(2), 69–78. https://doi.org/10.15575/
ijni.v3i2.1414
İzlem Gözükara. (2015). Mission and vision statements of
foundation universities in the context of university
roles: A content analysis. China-USA Business Review,
14(9), 464–476. https://doi.org/10.17265/1537-
1514/2015.09.005
Knoepfel, P., Larrue, C., Varone, F., & Hill, M. (2007). Public
policy analysis. In Public Policy Analysis. Policy Press.
Komalasari, K. (2010). Pembelajaran kontekstual konsep dan
aplikasi. Bandung: Refika Aditama.
Lian, B. (2019). Tanggung jawab tridharma perguruan
tinggi menjawab kebutuhan masyarakat. Prosiding
Seminar Nasional Program Pascasarjana Universitas
Pgri Palembang, 100–106. https://jurnal.univpgripalembang.ac.id/index.php/Prosidingpps/article/
view/2965
Manshur, F. M., & Husni, H. (2020). Promoting religious
moderation through literary-based learning: A quasi-experimental study. International Journal of Advanced
Science and Technology, 29(6), 8113–8119. http://sersc.
org/journals/index.php/IJAST/article/view/19864
Mason, A. (2018). Faith schools and the cultivation of
tolerance. Theory and Research in Education, 16(2), 204–
225. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878518779881
Mayrl, D., & Oeur, F. (2009). Religion and higher education:
Current knowledge and directions for future research.
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 48(2), 260–275.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2009.01446.x
Menchik, J. (2019). Moderate Muslims and democratic
breakdown in Indonesia. Asian Studies Review, 43(1),
1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10357823.2019.16272
86
Muhsin, I., Rochmawati, N., & Huda, M. C. (2019). Revolution
of Islamic proselytizing organization: from Islamism to
moderate. Qudus International Journal of Islamic Studies,
7(1), 45–70. https://doi.org/10.21043/qijis.v7i1.5076
Muhtada, D. (2012). Managing workforce diversity: An Islamic
perspective. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim
Societies, 2(1), 78–108. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.
v2i1.78-108
Ni’am, S. (2015). Pesantren: The miniature of moderate Islam
in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim
Societies, 5(1), 111–134. https://doi.org/10.18326/
ijims.v5i1.111-134
O’Carroll, C., Harmon, C., Laffan, C., & Farrel, L. (2006).
The economic and social impact of higher education.
Irish Universities Association. http://hdl.handle.
net/10197/672%0D
Purwanto, Y. (2020). Moderate nation character education in
the perspective of Islamic religion education in higher
education. International Journal of Advanced Science
and Technology, 29(7), 3846–3851. http://sersc.org/
journals/index.php/IJAST/article/view/23151
Quinn, P. L. (2001). Religious diversity and religious toleration.
International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 50(1/3),
57–80. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1012058201981
Rohayana, A. D., & Sofi, M. J. (2020). Indonesian nationalism
insight in the three pillars of higher education: Reflection
at IAIN Pekalongan. Edukasia: Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan
Islam, 5(2), 213-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.21043/
edukasia.v15i2
Saihu, Supriyadi, K., Karmawan, Mubin, F. (2020). Religious
pluralism education in Bali Indonesia: Study on cultural
and religious integration in completing contemporary
social conflicts. International Journal of Advanced Science
and Technology, 29(7), 3761–3770. http://sersc.org/
journals/index.php/IJAST/article/view/23141
Schlehe, J., & Nisa, E. F. (2016). The meanings of moderate
Islam in Indonesia: Alignments and dealignments of
azharites. Occasional Paper Series, Southeast Asian
Studies at the University of Freiburg (Germany), 1–16.
https://www.southeastasianstudies.uni-freiburg.de/documents/occasional-paper/op31.pdf
Schmid, A. (2017). Moderate Muslims and Islamist terrorism:
Between denial and resistance. The International
Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 8(9), 1–28. https://doi.
org/10.19165/2017.1.09
Schwedler, J. (2011). Can Islamists become moderates?
Rethinking the inclusion-moderation hypothesis. World
Politics. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0043887111000050
Wahab, S., A. (2017). Analisis kebijakan: dari formulasi ke
penyusunan model-model implementasi kebijakan publik.
Bumi Aksara.
Umar, A. R. M. (2016). A genealogy of moderate Islam:
Governmentality and discourses of Islam in Indonesia’s
foreign policy. Studia Islamika, 23(3), 399–433. https://
doi.org/10.15408/sdi.v23i3.3157
Van, N. T., & Said, H. (2018). Academic advisors’ perceptions
of academic advising in public universities of Malaysia.
International Journal of Educational Best Practices
(IJEBP), 2(2), 34–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.31258/ijebp.
v2n2.p34-47
Verkuyten, M., Yogeeswaran, K., & Adelman, L. (2019).
Intergroup toleration and its implications for culturally
diverse societies. Social Issues and Policy Review, 13(1),
5–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12051
Watson, J. (2004). Educating for citizenship - The
emerging relationship between religious education
and citizenship education. British Journal of
Religious Education, 26(3), 259–271. https://doi.
org/10.1080/0141620042000232319
Whitten, C., Labby, S., & Sullivan, S. L. (2016). The impact
of pleasure reading on academic success. The Journal
of Multidisciplinary Graduate Research, 2(4), 48–64.
https://jmgr-ojs-shsu.tdl.org/jmgr/article/view/11
Wibowo, E. D. E. (2011). Kebijakan mutu akademik pendidikan
tinggi. Majalah Ilmiah Universitas Pandanaran, 9(20).
https://jurnal.unpand.ac.id/index.php/dinsain/article/
view/8
Zaduqisti, E., Mashuri, A., Zuhri, A., Haryati, T. A., & Ula, M.
(2020). On being moderate and peaceful: Why Islamic
political moderateness promotes outgroup tolerance and
reconciliation. Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 42(3),
359–378. https://doi.org/10.1177/0084672420931204
Zuhdi, M. (2018). Challenging moderate Muslims: Indonesia’s
Muslim schools in the midst of religious conservatism.
Religions, 9(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9100310
0 Comments