Indonesia marked a historic milestone as Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar inaugurated the Sekolah Tinggi Agama Khonghucu Indonesia (SETIAKIN) in Pangkalan Baru, Bangka Belitung, on Tuesday (18 November 2025). It becomes the first state Confucian higher education institution in the nation’s history—broadening access to inclusive and equitable religious education.

The Minister described SETIAKIN as a strategic step to ensure every religious community has fair space to develop its intellectual and spiritual traditions. Quoting the classic saying “Seek knowledge even unto China,” he emphasized the importance of intellectual openness and hoped the institution would serve as a “bridge of wisdom” connecting Confucian heritage with Indonesia’s academic landscape.

He also stressed the urgency of strengthening social cohesion amid national challenges. Education, he said, must be grounded in spiritual and moral values.

The Minister outlined three core Confucian principles that should guide academic life at SETIAKIN:
Ren (universal compassion), Li (ethics and ritual order), and Ba De (the eight virtues: filial piety, humility, loyalty, trustworthiness, propriety, justice, purity of heart, and moral restraint).

Nurudin, Head of the Ministry’s Center for Confucian Guidance and Education, called SETIAKIN a significant state commitment to meet the educational needs of Confucian adherents. The first cohort has been admitted through national selection, with two flagship programs: Confucian Communication and Broadcasting and Confucian Religious Education.

Bangka Belitung Governor Hidayat Arsani expressed full support, calling the institution a model campus for Indonesia’s Confucian community.

The inauguration affirms the government’s agenda to widen learning opportunities for all citizens. As part of the PTKIN ecosystem, UIN Sunan Kalijaga welcomes SETIAKIN as a new partner expected to enrich interfaith academic collaboration and strengthen harmony in Indonesia’s diverse society.