Pursuing a master's or doctoral degree is not simply about continuing one's education; it means entering a new phase as a scholar, one expected to think logically, critically, and creatively, to communicate ideas skillfully, and to uphold integrity. Because of this, the knowledge gained during study should not remain merely a collection of information but must grow into a way of thinking that shapes ideas and gives rise to scholarly work.

That message was delivered by the Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, in his address at the Opening of the Learning Orientation (SOSPEM) for Master's and Doctoral Students of UIN Sunan Kalijaga on Tuesday (9/1/2026). The event, themed “Designing the Future, Transcending the Boundaries of Knowledge,” was attended by 638 students, 572 master's students and 66 doctoral students, held in hybrid format from the 3rd Floor Hall of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Education and via Zoom Meeting.

Also present in person were the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Institutional Development, Prof. Dr. Istiningsih; the Dean of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Education, Prof. Sigit Purnama, along with the vice deans; the Chair of the Center for Teaching and Staff Development (CTSD) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Dr. Muqowim; and other related parties.

Addressing the new master's and doctoral students, the Rector affirmed that the decision to continue one's studies is one of the most significant choices in a person's academic journey. At this stage, students are no longer positioned merely as learners, but as scholars-in-training who must build their intellectual capacity and academic character.

In this context, he continued, the Liberal Arts represent a set of capacities students need to master. Students will be trained to think logically, critically, and creatively. Such ability does not emerge instantly, but is built through a long process of reading, testing facts, formulating claims, and constructing arguments supported by sufficient empirical evidence.

He explained that critical thinking means having the intellectual courage to question what has long been considered settled, and that this kind of thinking comes into play precisely when a theory can explain a phenomenon, yet a researcher uncovers an aspect it fails to account for.

According to the Rector, the advancement of knowledge and innovation stems from the ability to view problems logically, critically, and creatively. For this reason, master's and doctoral students need to cultivate intellectual habits that allow them not merely to repeat existing knowledge, but to discover new questions and possibilities.

Another point the Rector emphasized was the importance of serious reading. He stressed that theory is essentially how we explain data, a way of thinking embedded and rooted in our minds, not something merely pasted into a piece of scholarly work.

This view positions reading not as an administrative academic task, but as a process of building one's structure of thought. Theory should not simply be cited in a literature review; it must genuinely be used to read reality, explain data, and develop argumentation.

This perspective is reflected in his own academic experience studying in the Netherlands. He recounted how the habit of intensive reading helped shape his way of thinking as a scholar, a reflection he later put into his book The Art of Scientific Inquiry, which also drew on his experience teaching graduate students the art of thinking, researching, and writing scholarly work.

According to the Rector, this process takes time and patience. Master's and doctoral students, therefore, need intellectual patience to keep reading, thinking, writing, and testing their ideas.

The Rector also reminded students not to treat grades as the sole focus of their studies. Master's and doctoral programs, he noted, actually offer broader space to develop thinking capacity.

He observed that the process of writing a thesis, let alone a dissertation, does not always proceed in a straight line, and that students may go through phases when their research problem feels stuck, as if entering a “dark tunnel.” That, he said, is a sign that their mental capacity is being pushed to work at its fullest, meaning they are engaging with the work in earnest.

Beyond thinking ability, the Rector stressed the importance of being able to communicate ideas. A piece of scholarly work is not enough on the strength of its argument alone; ideas must also be conveyed to others effectively.

He noted that presenting scholarly work requires its own art, the art of communicating ideas, and that this, too, must be learned.

Another equally important dimension is integrity. According to Prof. Noorhaidi, honesty, trustworthiness, and academic responsibility form a foundation inseparable from the life of a scholar.

In closing, the Rector invited all students to make the most of their time in study as a space for holistic self-formation, not merely to earn a degree, but to build thinking ability, develop ideas, uphold integrity, and make a real contribution.

He conveyed that this is not just about pursuing grades, but an opportunity to build critical thinking and the ability to communicate it, truly learning to develop oneself.

On the same occasion, the Chair of CTSD UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Dr. Muqowim, said that the opportunity to pursue a master's or doctoral degree must be accompanied by the transformation of knowledge into energy for change. (humassk)