Santriprenuership: A Strategic Approach to Human Capital Development

Economic development in the era of industry 4.0 has emerged as a crucial societal concern, drawing significant attention from scholars and practitioners. On a theoretical level, the discourse centers around achieving sustainable development through economic self-sufficiency. At a practical level, economic progress should be accessible to all strata of society, including those within Islamic boarding schools. This inclusivity extends to the development of santripreneurship, a rapidly growing concept within the Islamic boarding school community. Santripreneurship refers to a new breed of students who possess expertise in both religious studies and practical knowledge, with a strong inclination toward business and entrepreneurship. This research aims to delve deeper into the development of human capital within Islamic boarding schools through santripreneurship and identify a strategy to cultivate student potential, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit and mindset that aligns with local cultural values, all while enhancing their knowledge and skills in accordance with Islamic boarding school principles. This research is conducted at Nurul Haromain 93 Islamic Boarding School in Tolbuk Village, Bangkalan, Madura. We employed a qualitative descriptive approach, utilizing in-depth interviews, focus group discussion (FGD), questionnaire and direct observation to assess potential and formulate strategies for human capital development through santripreneurship at this institution. Our findings indicate a significant reservoir of untapped resources and human capital development strategy within the Islamic boarding school. We propose various methods to harness this potential, including the identification of pesantren assets and introduction of early entrepreneurship education and training for santri and teachers. Furthermore, the research findings encourage government participation in the development of santripreneurship in new-small scale pesantren that are pioneered independently. Keywords: human capital development, santripreneurship, santripreneur, Islamic boarding schools, economic development