UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta officially inaugurated its 2026 Academic Culture and Student Orientation (PBAK) Committee at both the university and faculty levels on Wednesday, August 6, 2026, at the Prof. R.H.A. Soenarjo Building. The inauguration marks the start of intensive preparations to welcome around 5,700 new students for the 2026/2027 academic year, while reaffirming UIN Sunan Kalijaga's commitment to delivering an orientation period that is humanist, inclusive, and focused on academic character-building.

Carrying the theme “Prophetic Humanization and Critical Consciousness in the Age of Technopoly: Reaffirming an Integrative-Interconnective Identity Toward Social Transformation,” PBAK 2026 is designed as more than a campus orientation activity; it is envisioned as the starting gate for building a generation of intellectuals who are principled, critical, adaptive to technological change, and committed to humanity and social transformation.

The inauguration was led by UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, accompanied by Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Cooperation Prof. Abdur Rozaki, and attended by Vice Deans for Student Affairs from every faculty, the President of the Student Council (DEMA), the DEMA Vice President, members of the Student Senate, Student Activity Units (UKM), and PBAK committee representatives from each faculty.

In his remarks, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Cooperation Prof. Dr. Abdur Rozaki stated that PBAK 2026 will be built around three guiding principles. The first is anti-bullying: every process and piece of content in PBAK is guaranteed to be free of bullying, with new students treated as equal participants through an adult-learning (andragogy) approach.

The second principle is creativity. Welcoming activities at the faculty level are designed to be unique and innovative, highlighting each faculty's distinct academic identity and character. The third principle is friendship, aimed at making the campus an embracing and safe space so that new students can adapt quickly without anxiety, while also giving parents peace of mind.

“PBAK 2026 is the opening gateway to a much broader kind of character-building, or civic education. Through social media and direct interaction, we want to convey this message of friendship not only to new students, but also to their parents,” said Prof. Abdur Rozaki.

He added that every faculty is encouraged to design a creative and innovative welcome that showcases its own academic character, while also building an atmosphere of friendship that makes the campus a safe, comfortable, and inclusive space for both new students and their parents.

Meanwhile, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan emphasized that PBAK is a strategic moment for introducing the university's identity and academic culture to new students. He noted that the first impression students receive will greatly shape their overall experience during their studies.

“This year we are welcoming around 5,700 to 5,800 new students, an increase of about 600 compared to last year. This reflects the public's growing trust in UIN Sunan Kalijaga. So, welcome them with your best smiles, warmth, and service. Show them that UIN Sunan Kalijaga truly is the right place to learn, grow, and develop their potential,” said Prof. Noorhaidi.

The Rector also reminded the committee that new students will come to know UIN Sunan Kalijaga through their first experience at PBAK. He said every member of the committee therefore carries the responsibility of creating an atmosphere that is warm, welcoming, and constructive.

“New students will pass through the door of PBAK on their way into UIN Sunan Kalijaga. This is a very important moment. Give them your best impression and your best smile. Welcome them with open arms and make them feel as comfortable as possible from the very first moment they set foot on this campus,” he said.

Prof. Noorhaidi also highlighted the arrival of the Faculty of Medicine's first cohort as an important milestone in the university's development. Fifty of the best applicants were selected from around 600 candidates, an achievement that reinforces UIN Sunan Kalijaga's position as an Islamic university continuing to grow in response to the needs of society and the demands of the times.

The Rector further encouraged the entire committee to make PBAK a space for collaboration between senior and incoming students, helping to build a healthy, inclusive, and productive academic culture. He also praised various student achievements at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, including the Kalijaga Change Maker program and students' accomplishments at both the national and international levels.

To support an increasingly high-quality learning experience, the university also continues to improve its infrastructure and campus aesthetics, from the development of campus gardens and more welcoming open spaces to the construction of a bridge leading to a parking area. These developments are part of a broader effort to create a comfortable learning environment while strengthening UIN Sunan Kalijaga's image as an excellent, globally competitive university that produces a generation of changemakers.

The inauguration concluded with a joint prayer and a shared pledge from the entire committee to ensure the success of PBAK 2026, which will be held on August 19–21, 2026.

Through PBAK 2026, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta once again affirms its position as an Islamic university that integrates Islamic values, scholarship, and humanity within a single educational ecosystem. More than an orientation activity, PBAK serves as an early foundation for shaping students with integrity, global competitiveness, and readiness to become agents of social transformation amid the dynamics of the technopoly era. (humassk)