Jakarta, August 19, 2025 — The Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and Hartford International University for Religion and Peace have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening academic cooperation, interreligious dialogue, and peacebuilding.
The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry’s headquarters on Jalan Lapangan Banteng Barat, Central Jakarta, attended by Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar, Secretary General Kamaruddin Amin, and Hartford International University President Sherry L. Turner. Representatives from Indonesia’s Islamic higher education institutions, including UIN Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi, were also present.
The agreement underscores a growing effort by Indonesia’s Islamic universities to expand their global partnerships. It includes commitments to student, faculty, and staff exchanges, as well as programs for santri — students from Islamic boarding schools. One of the first initiatives will be a visiting scholar program, with Dr. Dion Ginanto of UIN Jambi selected as one of the participants.
“This is a moment of gratitude for me, being invited to an event attended directly by the Minister, the Secretary General, and several directors and rectors,” Dion Ginanto said. “I hope the visiting scholar program initiated by the Ministry will yield significant results in the future.”
Hartford’s president emphasized the institution’s mission:
“At Hartford International, we believe that we have a unique calling. And that is to use religion as a force and as an impetus to build peace in the world,” Turner said.
Minister Nasaruddin highlighted the scale of Indonesia’s Islamic higher education system:
“The Ministry of Religious Affairs currently oversees 56 State Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN) and more than 826 private ones across Indonesia,” he noted.
The partnership reflects Indonesia’s broader ambition to position its Islamic universities within global academic networks, while Hartford International brings decades of expertise in interreligious studies and peacebuilding.