Yogyakarta, October 23, 2025 — Four distinguished lecturers from Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta have officially attained the rank of Professor in the field of Religious Studies, following the issuance of the Minister of Religious Affairs Decree (KMA) for the First Period of 2025.

The symbolic conferment was led by Minister of Religious Affairs, Prof. Nasaruddin Umar, who presented the decrees to 94 academics from various Islamic higher education institutions across Indonesia during a hybrid ceremony on Thursday (23/10). The four UIN Sunan Kalijaga professors joined the event virtually from the university’s Convention Hall, where Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan personally handed over the official documents.

The newly appointed professors are:

1.      Prof. Dr. Mochamad Sodik, S.Sos., M.Si., Vice Rector for General Administration, Planning, and Finance, as Professor in Sociology of Religious Movements;

2.      Prof. Dr. Ustadi Hamsah, S.Ag., M.Ag., Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought, as Professor in Interreligious Relations;

3.      Prof. Dr. Maharsi, M.Hum., Faculty of Adab and Cultural Sciences, as Professor in Islam and Culture; and

4.      Prof. Dr. Ahmad Yani Anshori, M.Ag., Faculty of Sharia and Law, as Professor in Fiqh Siyasah (Islamic Political Jurisprudence).

In his remarks, Minister Nasaruddin Umar emphasized that the professorship represents not merely an academic milestone but a moral and intellectual responsibility.
“Becoming a professor is not the end of an academic journey—it is the beginning of a lifelong duty to expand knowledge and enlighten others,” he stated.

He further reminded that scholars must continuously renew their intellectual spirit amid rapid societal changes. “A professor who stops learning will be left behind. Every day should be an act of conscious renewal,” he urged.

Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan celebrated the achievement as a significant addition to the university’s intellectual capital. “The presence of these four professors adds momentum to UIN Sunan Kalijaga’s mission of cultivating a scholarly tradition rooted in faith, humanity, and transformative knowledge,” he said.

The appointment of these four professors strengthens UIN Sunan Kalijaga’s position as a leading Islamic university with global academic standing. More than an academic recognition, this milestone symbolizes a continued commitment to developing Islamic scholarship that uplifts human dignity and contributes to social progress.

(Public Relations, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta)