Risk management in state Islamic universities: a lesson from a democratic and religious Indonesian context

IMPACTThis article discusses how state Islamic universities in Indonesia translated global risk management mandates into their local religious governance frameworks. Indonesia's experience highlights the importance of cultural translation and the need to align secular corporate metrics with deeply rooted institutional values. The article addresses public sector managers, university administrators and policy-makers involved in higher education governance and risk management reform, especially in populous, democratic countries with significant Islamic religious institutions. It offers practical insights into drawing on religious epistemology, specifically the muamalah paradigm, to legitimize and formally embed risk management and accountability systems. Furthermore, it encourages a deeper understanding of the dynamic interplay between prescriptive national directives and local institutional identities. The article highlights the importance of contextualizing global administrative tools to support the formal acceptance of risk management systems and reduce the risk of purely symbolic compliance.