The Nahdlatul Ulama Higher Education Institution (LPTNU) of DKI Jakarta is urging the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) to accelerate educational transformation by strengthening the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-based learning ecosystem. This strategic step is deemed crucial to produce a competitive generation of Nahdliyin in the digital era and global technology.
The Chairman of LPTNU DKI Jakarta, Mulyadin Permana, emphasized that improving the quality of human resources (HR) within the NU environment will have a direct impact on the quality of national human resources. He made this statement after opening the 2026 NU Higher Education Symposium titled "Nahdlatul ‘Ilmi, The Rise of Science and Technology for the Nahdliyin" in Menteng, Central Jakarta. He stated that mastering science and technology must become a structured national institutional agenda, rather than just individual initiatives.
According to Mulyadin, the integration of STEM education must be pioneered early at the pesantren (Islamic boarding school) and madrasah levels, focusing on future fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, information technology, and renewable energy. Graduates from these basic education institutions will later be prepared to continue their studies at STEM-based NU higher education institutions or strategic partner campuses through a structured pathway.
To realize this ecosystem, LPTNU DKI Jakarta is encouraging cross-sector collaboration between NU, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). This partnership is expected to expand scholarship access for santri (students), facilitate research funding, provide laboratories, and accelerate the commercialization of scientific innovation products.
Specifically, LPTNU DKI Jakarta has also submitted a proposal to the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta to support the provision of land for the construction of a STEM-based NU campus in Jakarta. This campus is projected to become a center for research, modern education, and technological innovation beneficial to the capital's residents and the Indonesian public in general.
This strategic symposium was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, as well as officials from PBNU, PWNU DKI Jakarta, and PCNU across DKI Jakarta. The forum is expected to spark the *Nahdlatul 'Ilmi* movement, which combines the religious values of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah with intellectual excellence in the field of technology.
