Seventy-five years mark a long journey for UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta in its continued growth, response to changing times, and expanding contribution. Beginning from the aspiration to establish Islamic higher education in Indonesia, UIN Sunan Kalijaga has grown into a university that brings together Islamic scholarship with science, technology, social sciences, and the humanities, while strengthening its role at both the national and global levels.
This three-quarter-century journey will be commemorated through a series of events marking the 75th Anniversary (Dies Natalis) of UIN Sunan Kalijaga. Carrying the theme "From Academic Excellence to Global Impact," this year's commemoration serves as a space to revisit the institution's journey, nurture bonds across generations, strengthen social care, and reaffirm the university's commitment to delivering knowledge relevant to society.
The series of events will involve the academic community, alumni, the university's extended family, and the wider public. An archival exhibition, the inauguration of the alumni association's leadership, visits to retired staff, social service activities, support for orphaned children, a fun walk, and an Open Senate Session will all come together under one shared spirit: preserving UIN Sunan Kalijaga's legacy and expanding its benefit.
One space for tracing this journey is presented through the Archival Exhibition titled "RINTISAN: An Indelible Trace, Across Time 1951–1961: Rereading the Roots of Identity." The exhibition will run from September 21–26, 2026, in the Lobby of the University Central Administration Building (PAU), UIN Sunan Kalijaga.
Through old newspapers, photographs, official announcements, speeches, and student magazines, visitors are invited to trace the first decade of the Perguruan Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri (PTAIN), the institutional embryo of UIN Sunan Kalijaga. Each archival piece brings visitors closer to the atmosphere of a time when the idea of Islamic higher education was first pioneered, debated, and brought to life.
The exhibition is designed as a space of encounter between today's generation and the institution's pioneers. The legacies of Prof. K.H. Muh. Adnan and Prof. Dr. H. Muchtar Jahja, two important figures from PTAIN's early years, will be presented through photographs, documents, written works, and records of their lives.
The spirit of preserving the institution's journey will also be realized through the inauguration of the Board of the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Alumni Association (IKA SUKA) for the 2026–2030 term. The Central IKA SUKA leadership will be chaired by Arifah Choiri Fauzi, a UIN Sunan Kalijaga alumna who currently serves as Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection of the Republic of Indonesia.
The alumni network is expected to serve as a bridge connecting academic developments on campus with real issues facing society. Through increasingly strong ties, the experience and endeavors of alumni can open space for collaboration, student capacity building, and strengthening UIN Sunan Kalijaga's contribution at both the national and international levels.
Bonds across generations are also nurtured through a visitation program organized by the Dharma Wanita Persatuan (Civil Servants' Wives Association) of UIN Sunan Kalijaga. Visits will be made to lecturers and administrative staff who have entered retirement.
These visits serve as a way of affirming that the service of those who came before remains alive within the university's ongoing journey. Today's lecture halls, service systems, academic traditions, and work culture were all built upon the knowledge, perseverance, and dedication of many generations.
The 75th Anniversary also carries a spirit of care for the wider community through social service activities and support for orphaned children. The celebration of the university's anniversary is treated as an opportunity to share and bring happiness to the broader community.
A sense of togetherness will be further felt through a fun walk on Saturday, September 26, 2026. University leadership, lecturers, administrative staff, students, alumni, and the extended UIN Sunan Kalijaga family will come together in a more relaxed and convivial setting.
Amid the busy pace of academic activity and service, the fun walk offers an opportunity to reaffirm the bonds of one extended family. These shared steps, moving forward together, also reflect UIN Sunan Kalijaga's broader journey, built by diverse generations, areas of expertise, and roles that strengthen one another.
As it enters its 75th year, UIN Sunan Kalijaga carries with it a number of academic and institutional achievements, measures of the progress made so far, and a foundation for further improving the quality of education, research, community service, and university governance.
In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, UIN Sunan Kalijaga's field of Theology, Divinity, and Religious Studies ranked 37th in the world, a position reflecting the university's growing international recognition in the tradition and development of religious studies.
A similar recognition is reflected in the SCImago Institutions Rankings 2026. UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Religious Studies field ranks 7th in the world, the highest among State Islamic Religious Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN). Its Philosophy field ranks 297th in the world and 3rd nationally, while its Law field holds the 2nd position nationally.
This academic standing is further reinforced by research productivity and scholarly publication output. Based on SINTA data, UIN Sunan Kalijaga ranks at the top among PTKIN institutions, an achievement built through the work of lecturers and researchers in advancing knowledge, expanding collaboration, and producing research relevant to society's needs.
Attention to the future of the planet also forms part of the university's development direction. In the UI GreenMetric 2026 rankings, UIN Sunan Kalijaga placed 31st nationally, up from 57th the previous year. UIN Sunan Kalijaga also received a Trees Rating of 3.5–4, a compliance award, and recognition as the Indonesian University with the Best Substantive Improvement in Sustainability Performance.
In the THE (Times Higher Education) Sustainability 2026 rankings, UIN Sunan Kalijaga placed within the 601–800 band worldwide, a result reflecting the university's efforts to integrate sustainable development principles into its governance, education, research, environmental management, and campus culture.
A new chapter opened once again in 2026 with the launch of the Medical Study Program and the Professional Medical Education Program. The addition of medical studies expands UIN Sunan Kalijaga's contribution to the development of health sciences, particularly through a promotive-preventive approach and attention to geriatric and musculoskeletal issues.
The series of 75th Anniversary events will reach its culmination through the Open Senate Session on Monday, September 28, 2026. This academic forum will serve as a moment to revisit UIN Sunan Kalijaga's three-quarter-century journey, present the institution's various achievements, and affirm the university's direction in facing a changing world.
Turning 75, UIN Sunan Kalijaga stands at the meeting point of two horizons. Behind it stretches the long legacy of pioneers who built Islamic higher education with courage and perseverance. Ahead of it lie global challenges demanding innovation, collaboration, academic integrity, and a commitment to humanity.
Ultimately, the 75th Anniversary is not merely a celebration of another year passing. It is an invitation to carry the legacy of the institution's pioneers into a new chapter, transforming academic excellence into knowledge that addresses real problems, strengthens community life, and delivers impact at the global level. (humassk)