Yogyakarta, Indonesia – UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta has officially welcomed the Study-Service Term (SST) Indonesia Program 2026 from Goshen College, Indiana, United States. This program marks the continuation of a longstanding partnership between UIN Sunan Kalijaga and Goshen College, grounded in shared commitments to intercultural learning, global citizenship, and community-based education.
The SST Indonesia Program 2026 is led by Prof. Dr. Luke Beck Kreider, Ph.D., Professor of Religion and Sustainability at Goshen College, together with Janie Beck Kreider, RN, MDiv, Co-Director of SST Indonesia. Local coordination of the program in Yogyakarta is managed by Dra. Mega Wati, M.Pd., who serves as the Local Coordinator of SST Indonesia.
In this program, UIN Sunan Kalijaga plays a strategic role by hosting academic lectures and structured learning activities, including lectures by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Wildan, M.A., on Indonesian Politics, Prof. Fatimah Husein, MA, Ph.D, on Women and Politics, and M. Yaser Arafat, M.A., on Mosques and Islamic Prayers. Students will also participate in a calligraphy workshop guided by a UIN Sunan Kalijaga calligrapher, providing hands-on exposure to Islamic arts and cultural expression. In addition, UIN Sunan Kalijaga facilitates student exchange activities involving the students' club for foreign language (UKM SPBA), Pencak Silat Club (UKM CEPEDI), and English Literature Students Association (HMPS SI) and assists in the identification and coordination of Muslim host families, with seven host families provided by UIN Sunan Kalijaga.
This year’s program involves 11 undergraduate students from Goshen College, consisting of 4 female and 7 male students. During their stay in Yogyakarta, the students are accommodated with 11 host families, including 7 host families from UIN Sunan Kalijaga and 4 host families from Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW). Through this homestay arrangement, students are immersed in everyday Indonesian family life, allowing for meaningful cultural exchange, interpersonal learning, and the development of mutual understanding across cultures and religious traditions.
The Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Prof. Noorhaidi, S.Ag., M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., expressed his strong appreciation for the implementation of the SST Program and conveyed sincere gratitude to Goshen College for its trust and sustained collaboration with UIN Sunan Kalijaga. He emphasized the importance of this partnership as a platform for strengthening people-to-people connections and expressed hope that the collaboration will continue to expand through future initiatives, including academic exchanges, joint research projects, and other forms of institutional cooperation.
Goshen College is a liberal arts institution in Indiana, United States, internationally recognized for its strong emphasis on global citizenship, intercultural engagement, and service-oriented education. Its flagship Study-Service Term (SST) program, established in 1968, integrates academic study, cultural immersion, and community engagement, preparing students to engage respectfully and collaboratively with diverse communities around the world.
The SST Indonesia Program 2026 runs from January to mid-April 2026. During the first six weeks, students are based in Yogyakarta, where they live with host families, undertake intensive Bahasa Indonesia language instruction, and study Indonesian history, religion, politics, arts, and culture through a combination of classroom lectures and field-based learning. According to Prof. Dr. Luke Beck Kreider, Ph.D., students also participate in various activities related to Indonesian society, Islam, politics, and intercultural dialogue, including sharing sessions and discussions with students of UIN Sunan Kalijaga.
The second phase of the program focuses on service-learning placements. For the following six weeks, students are placed with community-based organizations across Java or nearby islands, where they engage in volunteer work in areas such as education, social services, healthcare, peacebuilding, and environmental initiatives. Throughout this period, students continue to live with local host families, reinforcing the SST program’s core philosophy of learning through service, solidarity, and sustained community engagement. (CDCIA/IO)