Jokowi - Jusuf Kalla Places The First Stone At The Indonesian International Islamic University In Today's Memory, June 5, 2018

Laying the first stone for the construction of UIII by the President and Vice President of Indonesia, Jokowi-JK on June 5, 2018. (Setkab.go.id)

JAKARTA - Today's memory, six years ago, June 5, 2018, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) carried out the groundbreaking procession from the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII) in Cimanggis, Depok, West Java. Jokowi hopes that the construction of UIII will run smoothly.

He wants UIII to become a center for study and research of Islamic civilization in the world. Previously, Indonesia's desire to present a campus to study Islam in Indonesia was final. UIII was also built to accommodate it.

Many countries in the world have started to introduce scholarship schemes for foreign students. Countries with lower economies than Indonesia have implemented them -- Sudan, Morocco, and so on.

The country was able to attract sympathy for Indonesian students to register for scholarships. Those who register for scholarships are also invited to recognize the development of local Islamic civilization such as soft power diplomacy.

The Indonesian government is also attracted. The owner of power does not want to lose. They plan to build a campus that is able to accommodate national and international students who want to learn to know Indonesia as a Muslim-majority country with a brilliant democratic experience.

The campus is also believed to be able to provide stimulus to campuses in Indonesia to think globally. The government also named the campus as UIII. The seriousness of the campus development plan then emerged through the presence of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 57 of 2016.

UIII's status will be the State University of the Legal Entity (PTN BH). Jokowi also began to order the ranks to find land near Jakarta. The land is expected to be 1,000 hectares. The goal is that UIII can have complete facilities. Instead of just a learning building, UIII will also be equipped with mosques, apartments, and lecturer housing.

UIII is designed to pay special attention to the study and development of Indonesian Islamic civilization. The existence of UIII is very strategic, because it is a treasurer or storefront of Islam in Indonesia. Through UIII, foreign students are expected to be able to recognize and study Indonesia's relevant Islam and have high urgency.

As an educational institution, UIII is expected to become a strategic institution in introducing Islam which is rahmatan lill alamin. Something that has been considered less conveyed to the international community," is written on the website of the Ministry of Religion, March 17, 2022.

The UII development plan was finalized. As a result, the construction began to be carried out. The construction was marked by the laying of the first stone from UIII at the RRI Cimanggis LPP Transmitter Building, Depok City, West Java, on June 5, 2018.

The laying of the first stone was carried out by the President and Vice President of Indonesia, Jokowi-JK. Jokowi also revealed that the initial development plan would be carried out on an area of 1,000 hectares. However, finding land near Jakarta as wide as that is not an easy matter.

The government is only able to get 142 hectares. The total required funds reached Rp3.5 trillion. Development is included in the National Strategic Project (PSN). Jokowi also estimates that the construction will be completed in approximately four years.

UIII is also known to start operating in 2021. UIII will accommodate a variety of students from within and outside the country into seven faculties, from Islamic studies to Islamic Economics.

"After seeing in the field, I was also surprised, it turns out that 142 hectares are also a very large land. Thank God, I can't imagine if I got 1,000 hectares. Naturally, it is appropriate, Indonesia should be a reference for the progress of Islamic civilization in the world. This is the place later," said President Jokowi as quoted on the Cabinet Secretariat website, June 5, 2018.