Islamic universities told to produce competitive future generations

Surabaya, NU Online
Director General of the Islamic Educational MORA RI, Kamaruddin Amin, said that Islamic universities had a mandate from the state to carry out the same task shared with other universities under the MORA, especially in enhancing the nation's competitiveness.

"It should be known that universities Indonesia are still below (such countries as) Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. 75 percent of Indonesian children do not have opportunities to learn in universities. So this is one of the mandates given to universities to produce the future (generation) of Indonesia. Indonesia has the potential, they will determine the Indonesia's future," said Kamarudin on the sidelines of a graduation ceremony of the Al-Khoziny High Institute of Islamic Studies at the Surabaya's DBL building on Sunday (16/10).

In addition to implementing, universities must also defend, maintain and care for Indonesia for it is the most plural country, consisting of various cultures, ethnicities and languages and has the highest quality.

"Indonesia actually has the potential for conflict because of the differences (of cultures, ethnicities and languages). Our task is to take care of hard and plural Indonesia into the one that is peaceful and serene for the foreseeable future," he said.

According to him, Islam Indonesia is a democratic Islam. Indonesia is a country that is very peaceful despite possible potential conflicts of interest. Indonesia could successfully maintain Islam.

"It the task above could be done, we will become such perfect human beings. And this must be carried out by universities because as an organization it has a mandate from God and the state to keep maintaining the attitude and behavior of the nation's generations," he said, adding that graduates littered fully with the noble values were the most important in accordance with the teachings of Islam.

Meanwhile, the Rector of Islamic Institute (IAI) Al-Khoziny Buduran Sidoarjo, KH Asep Syarifuddin Chalim called on the fresh graduates to continues their study in higher education level instead of being satisfied with their bachelor's degrees. (Moh Kholidun / Masdar)