Indonesia
In a first for Indonesia, a dissertation defense was held with candidates and examiners alike dressed in sarongs. The doctoral promotion coincided with Santri Day celebrations at Universitas Islam Malang. Prof. Imam Suprayogo, drawing on 50 years of experience, said it was the first time in his career he had witnessed a dissertation defense conducted in sarongs.
Santri Day was marked by a series of events, one of which required the entire academic community to wear sarongs for three days, from October 22 to 24.
That dress code extended to the doctoral promotions in Multicultural Islamic Education for Zainal Anshori and Muhammad Tang, held on October 23, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Western Indonesia Time, respectively.
Zainal Anshari, academic at IAIN Jember
The first defense promoted Zainal Anshari, a lecturer at IAIN Jember, who defended his dissertation titled “Building Multicultural Awareness in Islamic Religious Education Learning (A Multi-Site Study at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 and Santo Paulus Catholic High School, Jember).”
The examining board pressed the candidate with a series of questions tied to his research. Chaired by Prof. Dr. H. Maskuri, M.Si, the panel included Prof. Imam Suprayogo, Prof. Abdul Haris, M.Ag., Prof. Yaqub Cikusin, M.Si., Prof. Dr. Djunaidi Ghony, M.A., and Prof. Junaidi, M.Pd., PhD, with Prof. M. Mas’ud Said, MM., PhD, serving as secretary.
Prof. Imam probed the candidate on the deeper meaning of Islamic education and multiculturalism. Prof. Abdul Haris asked about the reasoning behind the chosen title and school selection, among other considerations. Prof. Yaqub examined the data-gathering process used in the research. Prof. Mas’ud noted the analysis could have gone deeper. Prof. Maskuri, meanwhile, tested the candidate’s grasp of qualitative research methodology.
Muhammad Tang, the “Rooster of the East”
The second defense examined Muhammad Tang, a lecturer and Deputy Head of Academic and Institutional Affairs at STAI Al-Furqan Makassar. Dressed in a traditional Bugis sarong complete with a kopyah cap and keris dagger, he defended his research titled “Multicultural Islamic Education and Sipakatau Culture,” a study grounded in social change in Barang, Soppeng, South Sulawesi.
The research yielded three notable findings. First, the multicultural Islamic education values embedded in Sipakatau culture align closely with the goals and principles of Islamic education values that have adapted with the times while remaining well-actualized within the community. Second, the transformation of Sipakatau culture unfolds across four stages: assiamareng (adaptation), napaddupai akkatana’ (goal-setting), napassidiwi (integration), and ripiliharai (latency).
Muhammad Tang poses with the examining board, accompanied by his wife and STAI Al-Furqan leadership
The third finding identified how the values of Sipakatau culture and its pattern of change give rise to a model of multicultural Islamic education, one rooted in Sipakatau’s vision of a society that “humanizes humanity.”
Both doctoral promotions were held in a hybrid format: in person at Usman bin Affan Building, 7th floor, and live-streamed via Unisma Postgraduate Program’s YouTube channel. Both candidates earned an A grade “With Distinction.” Congratulations, Dr. Anshori and Dr. Tang, may the knowledge you’ve gained benefit your respective institutions! (Nad/Al/PPS)
