International Students in Indonesia’s Religious Educational Institution: The Socio-Economic Impact & Peace Building Initiative

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has a variety of religious schools. They wield a massive influence over society, culture, and the intellectual life of the nation. However, at the global school level, even with Indonesian religious secondary school strength using high institution standards, sponsored by several organizations, penetration is very small, particularly at the international students level. The main objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of religious educational institutions in Indonesia increasing their international student admissions and to highlight the socioeconomic and academic advantages that could provide to the country. This study adds to the literature by identifying Indonesia as an unusual example — a leading center of moderate religious education within a pluralistic society–and one that has received less attention in global religious studies debates. Moreover, it provides an intersectional account of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by Indonesia's religious educational facilities and recommendations for strengthening their international profile and presence in the global education ecosystem.