Revitalizing Islamic studies: a two-decade conversion in Indonesia's state Islamic universities

This research analyses the conversion project of state Islamic higher education in Indonesia, from the state Islamic institutes to the state Islamic universities nearly two decades ago. The conversion initiative includes two dimensions, the organisational transformation and the advancement of multidisciplinary Islamic thought within the context of state Islamic universities in Indonesia. In more detail, the article also examines the historical aspects of the conversion project, focusing on the application of the academic and critical Islamic thinking. It presents the occurrence of an Islamic intellectual revitalization represented by Muslim scholars emerging from the state Islamic universities, who actively respond to contemporary humanitarian issues with an inclusive, non-dogmatic, and progressive Islamic thought approach. This study uses qualitative research methods, utilizing data collection techniques such as literature reviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. The research also elaborates that the conversion project has implications for the transformation of several aspects, especially curriculum integration, academic orientation, institutional structure, and intellectual shift from normative-theological approaches to critical, historical, and contextual thinking methods in Islamic studies. This research underscores the importance of this conversion project in fostering multidisciplinary thinking, resulting in its alumni often being involved in humanitarian crisis assistance. UIN alumni are often actively involved in NGOs, interfaith forums, disaster response, and mediation in various religious, ethnic, and group conflicts.