Annisa Nurul Chaerani and Ahmad Syifa

Master Student SPs UIN Jakarta

Academic culture is an important aspect that shapes the intellectual landscape of a university. It is not just a collection of rules or traditions, but reflects the values, beliefs, and practices that live in the daily life of the campus. All of this forms the quality of education, the ability to think critically, and the spirit of innovation of the academic community to grow together. Academic culture is even the main foundation in producing intellectual actors who are ready to face the challenges of the times.

The campus atmosphere that supports creativity and critical thinking greatly determines the intellectual development of students. Not only in the classroom, student involvement in discussions, seminars, and other scientific activities is an important part of education as a whole (Kurnia and Suriani, 2009).

Furthermore, a strong academic culture also reflects the quality of the higher education institution itself. He establishes bonds between students and lecturers, and creates shared values that strengthen academic collaboration. In the long term, this contributes greatly to improving the quality of education (Pedraja, et al., 2022).

On the contrary, an academic culture that is too rigid can actually hinder innovation. The university as an ecosystem must be able to balance traditional heritage and contemporary educational needs (Liu, 2022). The challenge is how to build an academic culture that is adaptive to the times but still rooted in mature intellectual values.

"Ramadan Study" as an Initiative

As a tangible manifestation of efforts to build an academic culture that greets the challenges of the times, the student community of the Graduate School (SPs) of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta held an online Ramadan Study on March 1-25, 2025.  This program is not only a means of learning, but also a space for dialogue and critical reflection on various current Islamic issues.

By presenting selected speakers from within and outside the country, Ramadan Studies offers diverse perspectives, thereby strengthening an open academic atmosphere and encouraging cross-disciplinary and cross-scientific intellectual collaboration.

The participation of participants from the academic community of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and the general public, showed how academic culture can penetrate the formal boundaries of the campus. Through this forum, students and the community can interact, discuss, and test ideas scientifically in an inclusive and reflective atmosphere. This study model also strengthens the university's role as a science incubator that is responsive to the development of the times and the needs of society, while emphasizing the importance of an academic culture that is open to multidimensional dialogue.

The consistent number of Ramadan Study participants who attended an average of 30 people per session showed a strong interest and commitment to the scientific discussions held. Even in some sessions, the attendance of participants increased to more than 50 people, indicating that the topics raised were able to attract wide attention and become an important means of discussing ideas.

Although many participants came from UIN Graduate School students, the presence of participants from various other institutions also provided its own color in the dynamics of the discussion. The diversity of participants' backgrounds enriched the discussion with a broader and more diverse perspective, while strengthening the cross-institutional academic network. The diversity of the scientific concentration of SPs students itself also provides a nuanced conversation of thought that is quite dynamic.

FKMP Activity Flyer during Ramadan

Diversity of Speakers and Gender Balance Representation

All the speakers in the SPs 1446 H Ramadan Study were selected selectively based on their expertise and interest in the themes raised. This selection ensures that each session is filled with experts who truly understand the topic and are able to convey material in depth and relevance. There were 12 speakers who participated, consisting of six men and six women, a composition that shows UIN's strong commitment to inclusivity and gender equality in the academic realm.

The presence of female speakers who discussed important topics, such as Dr. Nina Mariani Noor, S.S., MA. with a study on Muslim women's clothing in Southeast Asia, and Aisah Putri Budiatri, MA. which examines the ideology of tolerance of Nahdlatul Ulama, shows the active involvement of women in shaping the understanding of Islam from a gender perspective. It can be reflected here that women are not only objects of study, but also active subjects in Islamic academic discourse.

Likewise, the existence of these women academics who discuss Islamic social, cultural, and political issues indicates that women also play an important role in contemporary discursive spaces, including in terms of diplomacy, migration, and humanitarian crises, so that gender perspectives become an integral part of the analysis of these issues.

The diversity of the backgrounds of the speakers' fields of study also strengthened the quality of the study. They come from various disciplines—ranging from Islamic history, cultural studies, and sociology, so the discussion is not limited to just one point of view. This broadens the horizons of participants and opens up a richer space for dialogue.

For example, the study "Muslim Women's Dress in Southeast Asia" by Dr. Nina Mariani Noor, S.S., MA. provides a rich perspective because it reveals how fashion is not just a cloth, but a narrative about how Muslim women negotiate local values, global influences, and social expectations, making it a meeting point between faith, culture, and body politics.

The study "Humanitarian Crisis in Palestine" by Zezen Zaenal Mutaqin, S.J.D. offers a rich perspective because it brings together humanitarian, religious, and political aspects of global politics in one highly relevant and urgent issue. The humanitarian crisis in Palestine is not only about physical suffering, but also reflects, settler colonialism, structural injustice, human rights violations, and multi-identity solidarity attitudes, as well as the role of Muslims in global humanitarian diplomacy.

In this case, the active response of SPs students and general participants to the sessions showed that the quality of qualified speakers and their diverse fields of study succeeded in creating lively and productive discussions. Not only the delivery of rich material, but also the ability of the speakers to arouse the curiosity and involvement of participants is the key to the success of this program.

Efforts to advance interdisciplinary approaches

The interdisciplinary approach in the Ramadan Study of SPs UIN Jakarta can be seen from the diversity of topics and scientific backgrounds of the speakers presented. The discussion did not only focus on the theological or normative aspects of Islam, but also extended to the realms of politics, culture, gender, diplomacy, and global migration.

By uniting various disciplines in one forum, Ramadan Studies also enriches the perspective of students and academics on the reality of contemporary Islam. In this case, interdisciplinarity is no longer an option, but a need to build Islamic studies that are able to respond to the complexity of the challenges of the times critically and creatively.

The following is an overview of the diversity of interdisciplinarity of themes discussed in the Ramadan Study of SPs UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.

The three main categories, namely Islam in Social and Political Dynamics, Islam, Culture, and Identity, and Religious Traditions and Community Life, show that Islam is not only studied from the normative-theological and doctrinal aspects, but also from the perspective of politics, culture, anthropology, sociology, diplomacy, gender studies, and even semiotics. This is a form of enrichment of the Islamic scientific tradition that opens itself to the modern humanities social approach.

The speakers came from a wide variety of scientific backgrounds, including political science (Dr. Zaki Mubarak, S.IP., M.Si.), international relations (Dara Yusilawati, MA.), international law (Zezen Zaenal Mutaqin, S.J.D.), migration anthropology (Dr. Anna Sabhana Azmy, M.I.P.), cultural studies (Dr. Rahmat Hidayatullah, MA.), semiotics (Tommy Christomy, Ph.D.), to sociology of family and gender (Ariane Utomo,  Ph.D.). This indicates that Islam as an object of study is able to be associated with various fields of science, thus producing a more complex and contextual perspective.

Some themes such as "Humanitarian Crisis in Palestine", "Globalization of Labor Migration", and "Hijrah Musicians in Popular Culture" show the attempt to read Islam in the context of actual problematics, which demand critical and cross-disciplinary analysis. This shows the spirit to make Islamic studies inseparable from the global socio-political reality, and to become a reflective field on the dynamics of contemporary Muslim society.

Studies such as "Fasting in the Tradition of the Archipelago Society" or "Coffee and Intellectual Community in Islamic History" illustrate a shift from a textual-normative approach to an ethnographic, historical, and cultural approach. This shows that the academic tradition at SPs UIN Jakarta is beginning to develop in a more reflective, empirical, and real-life direction for Muslims.

Why is an interdisciplinary approach important?

An important interdisciplinary approach in the academic culture of the campus lies in its ability to build spaces for inter-disciplinary dialogue that enrich ways of thinking and solving problems. By encouraging cross-field collaboration, this approach opens up opportunities for innovation and more comprehensive solutions to complex social problems.

An interdisciplinary approach allows for a more in-depth analysis of complex issues such as the climate crisis and modern public health problems, through the incorporation of insights from disciplines such as biology, social sciences, and engineering (Lu, 2016). It also encourages the growth of critical thinking and creativity, so that researchers can produce more comprehensive solutions that are often overlooked if they only use mono-scientific perspectives (Kaur, 2024).

In the context of Islamic studies, an interdisciplinary approach helps in contextualizing the Islamic messages contained in the Qur'an and Hadith, so that they can be understood and applied in a relevant way in various times and places (Rohmatika, 2019). By tearing apart the boundaries of perspectives from various disciplines, this method allows for a more holistic and thorough understanding of Islam, as well as coherently connecting theological, social, and cultural aspects (Notonegoro, 2023).

Interdisciplinary approaches are crucial in dealing with modern issues such as globalization, technological advancements, and today's social and political dynamics. By integrating disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, and history, this approach is able to provide a new, deeper understanding of Islamic religious practices and their historical roots (Rusli, 2023).

In addition, interdisciplinary Islamic studies encourage the development of critical and innovative thinking that enriches scientific discourse in Islamic studies. This approach also opens up space to accept constructive criticism while encouraging the creation of a cosmopolitan Islamic civilization that respects pluralism and human rights (Sholikah et al., 2022). This approach underscores the importance of cross-disciplinary dialogue to understand the complexity of Islam in an ever-changing global context.

Therefore, the interdisciplinary approach not only expands academic horizons but also strengthens the relevance of Islamic studies in answering the challenges of the times. Through cross-disciplinary collaboration, Islamic studies become more dynamic, inclusive, and adaptive to social, cultural, and technological changes, while being able to build constructive dialogue in a pluralistic and complex society.

This approach opens up opportunities for the development of science that is not only critical and innovative, but also humanist and social justice-oriented, thus becoming an important foundation for intellectual and spiritual progress on campus and in the wider community.

How does the Ramadan study work?

The Ramadan study was held democratically by prioritizing open dialogue and active interaction between resource persons and discussion participants. Through question and answer sessions, comments, and responses, each participant was given space to express their views and question the material presented. This approach not only enriches mutual understanding, but also encourages critical and reflective engagement, so that the study becomes an inclusive and participatory learning process for all parties involved.

The role of students as moderators in Ramadan Studies is not only to guide the course of discussions, but also to be an important part of the active learning process. By interacting directly with senior academic resource persons, students gain practical experience in managing scientific discussions, as well as hone communication and critical thinking skills.

Siti Rohwati, one of the moderators in this activity, stated that the opportunity was interpreted as an opportunity to expand academic networks, increase confidence, and train skills that are very useful for academic and professional career development in the future.

The enthusiasm of the participants in the Ramadan Study was very felt through the many questions that arose, especially when the topics discussed were directly related to their daily lives or were based on a strong attraction. For example, the session hosted by Mr. Tommy succeeded in creating a lively and interactive discussion atmosphere, which shows how relevant the theme is to the development of contemporary Islamic studies. This strengthens the function of the study as a space for critical reflection and open dialogue between academics and participants.

Likewise, the session presented by Dr. Awalia on coffee, which was able to attract attention with a light approach but still delved into the meaning of Islamic culture in depth. In addition, Dr. Anna's session on labor migration also received a positive response, especially from the professional community and sponsors such as Pramana Group, which showed the direct link of this study to current socio-economic issues.

The study of Ramadan has succeeded in becoming a forum for discussion that is not only academic but also relevant to the needs of the wider community. Each session is not only a place for delivering material, but also a dynamic and dialogical exchange of ideas, creating a reciprocal relationship between speakers and participants from various scientific and experienced backgrounds. The presence of the professional community also shows that this kind of study is able to penetrate the boundaries of the campus and reach the wider public interest.

Cover

Ramadan Studies is not a completely new initiative, but rather a continuation and enrichment of academic activities that have been running at SPs UIN Jakarta, such as Public Lectures and Kamisan Studies. Its presence strengthens the intellectual tradition that has been formed, while maintaining a dialogical and democratic spirit towards a variety of scientific perspectives. But interestingly, Ramadan Studies acts as a bridge that connects regular academic culture with the nuances of the spirituality of the holy month of Ramadan, creating a learning space that is not only rational but also spiritually reflective.

Through this approach, participants were not only invited to understand the Islamic context in the framework of Ramadan worship, but also to gain fresh insight into the intersection between Islamic Studies and various fields of contemporary science. This study, which is a learning space without disciplinary barriers, allows the exploration of themes such as culture, economy, migration, and diplomacy, within the framework of Islamic thought that is relevant to the challenges of contemporary life.

Documentation of student activities on social media can be seen at the following link: https://www.instagram.com/spsuinjkt_fkmp?igsh=MXhwbXJ4djg0ejE4ZA==

Reference

Kaur, H. 2024. Interdisciplinary Approaches in Social Sciences Education: Breaking Down Academic Silos, 125–132. https://doi.org/10.58532/v3bgso8p2ch5.

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Liu, Z. 2002. “On Culture of the Universities.” https://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-HEBS200204001.htm.

Lu, G. M. 2016. “Science without Boundary: Interdisciplinary Research.” National Science Review 3 (3): 263. https://doi.org/10.1093/NSR/NWW021.

Notonegoro, N. 2023. “Islamic Study with an Integrative-Interdisciplinary Approach.” In Proceeding of Saizu International Conference on Transdisciplinary Religious Studies, 210–220. https://doi.org/10.24090/icontrees.2023.340.

Pedraja-Rejas, L., Rodríguez-Ponce, E., and Labraña, J. 2022. “The Impact of Academic Culture on Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training: A Conceptual Model Proposal.” https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20278185.

Rohmatika, R. V. 2019. “Pendekatan Interdisipliner dan Multidisipliner dalam Studi Islam.” Al-A'raf: Jurnal Pemikiran Islam dan Filsafat 14 (1): 115–132. https://doi.org/10.24042/AJSLA.V14I1.4681.

Rusli, Muh. 2023. “Interdisciplinary Approach on Contemporary Islam in Indonesia.” Jurnal Adabiyah 23 (2): 355–378. https://doi.org/10.24252/jad.v23i2a13.

Sholikah, S., Mumtahanah, N., and Fahruddin, A. H. 2022. “Urgensi Kajian Keislaman dengan Pendekatan Multidisipliner dalam Menghadapi Isu-Isu Kontemporer.” Akademika 16 (1). https://doi.org/10.30736/adk.v16i1.915.