Technological change has left the world facing uncertainty. Fields that look promising today may shift as the ways people work, communicate, and run businesses keep changing. For students, the challenge is to build the ability to read change while finding a space in which to contribute.

This issue emerged at the Hesfest National Seminar, titled “Dare to Take a Role: Youth as Direction-Setters Amid Global Uncertainty,” organized by the Islamic Economic Law Study Program, Faculty of Sharia and Law, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, on Monday (10/19/2026). The forum, held in the Convention Hall on the 1st floor, invited students to consider the relationship among academic preparation, economic dynamics, and the responsibility of the younger generation in facing global problems.

Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan stressed that the digital revolution and its many offshoots have changed nearly every aspect of life. Change is taking place in patterns of communication, economic activity, and workforce needs. Some jobs once considered secure now face the possibility of being replaced by technology.

“If we as the younger generation are not ready to adapt to this change, I am afraid the future will not belong to you,” he said.

Prof. Noorhaidi said this situation demands that young people be ready to keep learning and adapting. Students and university graduates in many countries face this challenge, especially when economic pressure adds to anxiety about the future.

The uncertainty is made more complex because technological change is happening alongside various crises, including energy problems and the limits of fossil resources. Students therefore need to understand change more broadly so they can see the connections among technological development, economic sustainability, and community life.

Even so, the Rector reminded the audience that major change is not a first in human history. The industrial revolution also once reshaped the world of work and social life. From that experience, the ability to think logically, critically, and creatively is an important asset for facing new circumstances.

He also stressed communication skills and integrity. Mastery of knowledge needs to be accompanied by the ability to convey ideas, work with others, and take responsibility for one's choices and actions.

For Islamic Economic Law students, the discussion broadened how they see the relevance of their field. Changing business models, the growth of digital enterprises, and the needs of business owners raise issues that call for careful reading of the relationship among law, economics, and community practice.

The importance of building teamwork was also raised by Mahindra Surya Utama, Chair of the Islamic Economic Law Study Program Student Association. He said collaboration is a necessity in responding to current developments.

This view was reinforced by Eftri Anargya Naomi, a representative of the Yogyakarta Youth Collaboration Space (Ruang Kolaborasi Pemuda Yogyakarta). In her view, global developments call for broader collaborative movements. Young people need to take their place as subjects of development who help formulate ideas and drive change.

Eftri encouraged collaboration through a pentahelix approach that brings together government, academia, business, communities, and the media. Through such cooperation, young people can connect ideas with resources, experience, and real needs in society.

“Let us prove that gotong royong (mutual cooperation) is not just a legacy, but a spirit of life that we keep alive together,” she said.

The seminar featured Kulon Progo Deputy Regent Ambar Purwoko, who has experience in the fisheries sector and business, and Adventius Christian, a junior expert policy analyst who is active in developing MSMEs, start-ups, and digital marketing. The dialogue was moderated by Ratu Sheba Sofie Ahimsa, one of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's outstanding alumni.

The event was also attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Sharia and Law, Prof. Ali Sodiqin; the Head of the Islamic Economic Law Study Program, Dr. Hashfi Luthfi; Islamic Economic Law students; and other related parties.

Through Hesfest, the Faculty of Sharia and Law (FSH) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga opens a space for students to bring academic knowledge together with experience in government, business, and youth movements. In a future that keeps changing, encounters like this are part of the learning process of recognizing problems, testing ideas, and defining the roles they can take. (humassk)