Nine first-place titles, two second-place titles, and one third-place title made UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta the overall champion of the Religion, Science, and Research Olympiad (OASE) III for Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN) 2026. For the university, however, this victory is not the finish line. It is from the overall champion's podium that the next challenge begins: taking student innovations to the international stage and ensuring that their work brings real benefits to society.

Prof. Abdur Rozaki, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Cooperation at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, said the success was the result of collective effort by the mentors and the students who competed. Besides the participants' hard work and preparation, an increasingly supportive academic ecosystem on campus that nurtures a culture of achievement was also an important factor.

In his view, a supportive environment makes students feel comfortable while also challenging them to keep developing their abilities. Achievement is no longer seen as a momentary accomplishment but is increasingly regarded as an important part of students' journeys and career development.

For Prof. Abdur Rozaki, the results at OASE III 2026 should be a moment for building bigger steps. A national competition is not the final goal, he said, but an early opportunity for students to begin a more serious academic and professional journey.

"This is only the first rung of the ladder for these students to push toward more serious careers. For example, how they can become scientists whose work and innovations contribute to solving our nation's problems," he said.

Having proven their abilities at the national level, the next challenge is to bring UIN Sunan Kalijaga students into international competition. Prof. Abdur Rozaki sees opportunities opening up, particularly in future studies, fields that are increasingly relevant to technological developments and global needs.

Among the fields of interest are robotics, ecological research, and nanotechnology. To make this happen, students need to keep building their academic capacity while also developing collaborative networks that can open access to international competitions and forums.

In his view, the experience and achievements gained at the national level should serve as a foundation for facing broader challenges. Students need to be encouraged not only to compete domestically but also to have the confidence and capacity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge globally.

Besides encouraging students to break into international competitions, UIN Sunan Kalijaga is also focused on the continuity of the work and innovations students produce. Prof. Abdur Rozaki stressed the importance of downstreaming, or translating research into practical application, so that results do not end as competition entries or merely become a collection of trophies.

Students' innovative work is expected to be followed up through intellectual property protection, including patent applications, and developed into industrial products that are useful to society.

He also reminded the OASE III 2026 winners not to become complacent. A championship title should be a spark for continuing to produce innovations, strengthen scholarly contributions, and develop work with wider benefits.

This direction is part of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's effort to strengthen the connection between education, research, and the needs of society. In this way, students' success is measured not only by their achievements in the arena but also by their ability to turn knowledge into innovations that answer real problems.

The university's commitment to supporting high-achieving students was also affirmed through plans for an appreciation event called Kalijaga Prestasi (Kalijaga Achievement). The program is designed to honor students who record achievements throughout 2026, both academic and non-academic.

Prof. Abdur Rozaki affirmed that the university's support for developing students' potential and innovation is a commitment that continues to be strengthened.

"We're always not just ready, but more than ready. That's why, after this, we will provide the Kalijaga Prestasi stage," he said.

Through this event, the university wants to give recognition to students who have worked hard and produced a range of achievements. This appreciation is also expected to inspire other students to keep developing their potential, creativity, and innovation.

UIN Sunan Kalijaga's success in winning the overall championship at OASE III PTKI 2026 with nine first-place titles is an important foundation for moving to the next phase. The ecosystem of achievement that has been built needs to keep being strengthened, mentor guidance needs to be sustained, and students' work needs room to develop further.

Because achievement is not the end of the journey. From the OASE podium, UIN Sunan Kalijaga students are expected to become scientists and innovators who can break into the international stage, produce patented work, and deliver products and solutions that benefit society.

More than simply defending the championship title, this is UIN Sunan Kalijaga's next challenge: turning achievement into innovation, and innovation into real contribution to the nation. (humassk)