Yogyakarta — The Postgraduate Program of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, in collaboration with Osaka University, hosted an International Joint Workshop in the format of a Studium Generale titled “Indonesian Historiography & Islam” on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The event, held at the Postgraduate Auditorium, featured Prof. Dr. Yumi Sugahara, Professor at Osaka University and a leading scholar of Islam and Asian historiography.

In her lecture, Prof. Sugahara argued that Indonesian historiography remains deeply biased. “Our historical narratives are still dominated by colonial and secular perspectives, leaving little space for the contributions of Islam,” she said. She emphasized the need to integrate local Islamic sources—such as ulama manuscripts, babad chronicles, and pesantren traditions—into the national narrative to create a more balanced understanding of Indonesia’s past.

Prof. Dr. Moch. Nur Ichwan, Director of the Postgraduate Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, highlighted that this Studium Generale is part of a long-standing partnership with Osaka University. The program continues with a Joint Workshop between students of both universities, followed by Experiencing Indonesia, an immersion visit to Pesantren Bumi Cendekia.

UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector, Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, praised the initiative as a vital forum for international academic collaboration. He recalled that Prof. Sugahara’s doctoral dissertation on Syekh Rifa’i had won Japan’s prestigious award for best research in the humanities in the early 2000s. “Postgraduate students must challenge themselves to broaden their research beyond Indonesia’s borders. Today’s session should inspire them to expand their intellectual horizons globally,” he remarked.

The interactive discussion attracted strong engagement from faculty and students, reinforcing UIN Sunan Kalijaga’s position as a modern Islamic university committed to fostering critical scholarship and strengthening global academic networks.