The Graduate School of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta held an International Graduate Conference on 12–13 May 2026 under the theme “Reconfiguring Islamic Tradition: Authority, Circulation, and Contemporary Engagements.” The conference served as an academic platform for emerging scholars to discuss the dynamics of Islamic tradition as an evolving and transforming entity amid contemporary social change.
Held at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, the conference was organized collaboratively by UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung, Universitas Brawijaya, and Leiden University. The initiative also reflected efforts to strengthen academic networks across institutions and countries in advancing contemporary Islamic studies.
Director of the Graduate School, Prof. Moch Nur Ichwan, emphasized in his remarks that the collaboration among the four universities represented not merely an academic gathering, but also a meaningful encounter between scholars and students committed to exploring and reimagining the evolving dynamics of Muslim thought and society.
According to him, the collaboration reflects a rich network of intellectual exchange that transcends disciplines, geographical boundaries, and traditions of knowledge. He also noted the strong enthusiasm shown by young researchers, with more than 100 applicants, including participants from overseas, and around 55 selected participants joining the academic forum.
The conference introduction highlighted that, within contemporary scholarship, Islamic tradition is no longer understood as something static, but rather as a historical construct shaped through long processes of transmission, interpretation, and debate. From the early Islamic period to the contemporary era, both textual traditions and religious practices have continuously undergone negotiation and reinterpretation in accordance with social and cultural contexts.
In a separate interview, Prof. Moch Nur Ichwan underscored the importance of revitalizing discussions on tradition within Islamic academic studies. He argued that tradition has often been marginalized due to the dominance of Western social theories rooted in modernization and industrialization.
“Discussions on tradition have long been marginalized due to the bias of modernity. Yet in the Indonesian context, tradition has never disappeared. It continues to accompany the nation’s journey, coexisting with modernity and the process of becoming Indonesia,” he stated.
He further explained that the growing perspectives of decolonization and the decentering of social sciences have reopened space for tradition to be studied more critically and contextually. Tradition, he stressed, is not static but continuously negotiated and reconstructed by society in response to changing times.
“Tradition is dynamic. It continuously evolves and remains an integral part of Indonesian society, including in shaping Indonesian Islam,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, emphasized the responsibility of higher education institutions to provide open and critical academic spaces, particularly in addressing the increasingly multidisciplinary and transnational development of Islamic studies.
The conference featured keynote speaker Verena Meyer from Leiden University, who delivered a keynote speech entitled “Asia as a Privileged Space of Inquiry in Islamic Studies.” In her presentation, she highlighted Asia as a significant site for the development of contemporary Islamic studies, capable of offering new perspectives beyond the dominance of Middle Eastern-centered scholarship.
The conference continued with a panel discussion featuring speakers from various institutions. Dr. Mohammad Yunus (UIN Sunan Kalijaga) presented “Mainstreaming Ibn Arabi: Ghurab (2021) and Discursive Polemics in Contemporary Sufi Discourse,” discussing the dynamics surrounding the reception of Sufi thought in the modern era. The next speaker, Prof. Salamah Noorhidayati (UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung), delivered a presentation titled “Decolonization and Revitalization: Reconfiguring Islamic Tradition Authority in the Contemporary Era,” addressing the importance of decolonizing knowledge and revitalizing the authority of Islamic tradition in contemporary society. Meanwhile, Dr. Wahyu Widodo (Brawijaya University), through his presentation “Performing Poetry, Defending Melody: Sung Poetry Performance into Tradition,” explored the relationship between literature, performativity, and tradition within Islamic cultural practices.
According to Prof. Moch Nur Ichwan, the conference was intended not only to strengthen academic networks, but also to cultivate a stronger research and scientific publication culture among graduate students. He emphasized the importance of presenting research findings within academic forums to gain constructive criticism and feedback that can enhance research quality.
“Research needs to be discussed with fellow scholars in order to gain constructive criticism and valuable feedback. This is essential for improving the quality of students’ research,” he said.
He also expressed hope that all papers presented at the conference would proceed to scientific publication as part of strengthening academic culture within higher education institutions.
“We hope that the articles presented here will not stop at the conference forum, but will truly be published as part of strengthening academic culture,” he concluded.
Moving forward, the graduate conference is expected to become an annual agenda hosted rotationally among partner institutions. After being previously held in Tulungagung and this year in Yogyakarta, the next conference is planned to take place in Malang, with future possibilities for joint organization in the Netherlands through collaboration with Leiden University. (humassk)