Australia’s Flinders University welcomes the partnership with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs and expresses its appreciation for the development of Indonesian education.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs and Australia’s Flinders University have signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate the transformation of science and technology-based madrasa education.

Prof. Nyayu Khodijah, Director of Madrasah Curriculum, Facilities, Institutions, and Student Affairs (local known as KSKK), emphasized that the collaboration is part of a broader strategy for reforming madrasah education.

She stated that strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is no longer an option but an urgent necessity to prepare a generation capable of competing globally.

"This will allow madrasas to gain access to international academic experiences, strengthen their research culture, and enhance their competencies in applied science relevant to future needs," she said, as quoted by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs on its website on Friday (Feb. 13).

Prof. Nyayu also underscored that educational transformation would not be optimal without improving the quality of teachers and education personnel.

Therefore, this collaboration is aimed not only at scholarships for students, but also at developing educator capacity in mastering modern learning methodologies, utilizing digital technology, and strengthening adaptive and globally standardized governance systems.

Nyayu added that madrasas have a unique strength in integrating religious values ​​with mastery of science and technology.

This integration is believed to be able to produce a superior generation with character, innovation, and contribution to Indonesia's progress.

Madrasas are in the future expected to not only produce graduates ready to continue their studies or enter the workforce, but also to produce scientists, researchers, and future leaders in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.

This likewise aims to encourage madrasas to become centers for the development of globally competitive STEM education.

This collaboration focuses on strengthening the STEM education ecosystem within madrasas through the development of international scholarship programs for high-achieving students, collaborative research and innovation, and increasing the capacity of teachers and education personnel in implementing modern, technology- and research-based learning methodologies.

The partnership is also aimed at strengthening educational governance to align with world-class university standards, enabling madrasas to produce graduates with global competitiveness and strong character.

This collaboration is also expected to form a long-term foundation for strengthening educational diplomacy between Indonesia and Australia, while accelerating the leap in the quality of madrasa education on the international stage.

Australia’s Flinders University welcomed this partnership and expressed its appreciation for the development of Indonesian education, which is considered progressive and relevant to global dynamics.

Reporting by Indonesia Window