The IAIN Indonesia Social Equity Project is the third official cooperation project to be carried out between McGill University and the State Institutes of Islamic Studies (IAIN). The goal of the Project is to contribute to social cohesion and political stability in Indonesia. The purpose of the 5-year cooperation is to enable IAINs Jakarta and Yogyakarta* to play a leadership role in integrating religion and development and to strengthen their capacity to support teacher training and community development.
The Memorandum of Understanding for IISEP was signed in Jakarta on October 25, 2001, and the Contribution Agreement was approved by McGill's Board of Governors on June 3, 2002. The Project was originally scheduled to end in 2006.
IISEP focuses on the UIN/IAIN programs most relevant to development and governance at the community level: basic education, social and community development, library science, legal studies (Aceh) and graduate programs in interdisciplinary Islamic Studies which integrate Humanities and Social Science (Jakarta) and Social Work (Jakarta). Gender mainstreaming and the development of management capacity are overarching themes.
ACEH COMPONENT
A new component responding to the cataclysmic tsunami that hit Aceh on December 26, 2004, was added to IISEP. This component focusing on IAIN Ar-Raniry in Banda Aceh. began in 2007 and has extended IISEP to 2009.
The Aceh component has evolved beyond its initial focus on reconstruction and rehabilitation. The scope encompasses the development of new academic programs at IAIN Ar-Raniry and strengthening its linkages with the community to address issues of law and gender in Aceh.>P
Phase 1, which began in 1989, provided scholarships for IAIN instructors from all 14 IAINs in Indonesia. Forty-five returned to Indonesia with Masters degrees and seven with PhD degrees at McGill's Institute of Islamic Studies (MIIS). MIIS professors also taught in the IAINs in Jakarta and Yogyakarta and lectured in other IAINs throughout Indonesia.>PPhase 2, the Indonesia-Canada Islamic Higher Education Project began in 1995. This was an institutional development project involving several units at McGill in addition to MIIS. Masters scholarships were also awarded for study at the Graduate School for Library and Information Studies and the Faculty of Religious Studies. Both of these units also sent professors to the IAINs. The Faculty of Education also sent professors to improve teaching and learning in the IAINs. The Centre for Teaching Staff Development was established at IAIN Yogyakarta and the Centre for Teaching and Learning Development at IAIN Jakarta. Other IAINs also established similar centres as a result of inter-institutional cooperation projects. The Centres for Women's Studies were strengthened at IAIN Jakarta and IAIN Yogyakarta and two of the five PhD and 13 of the 46 MA scholarships were awarded to women.
*IAIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta became the State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah (UIN Jakarta) on May 20, 2002. IAIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta became the State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta on January 23rd, 2004.
Project duration:
2001 - 2006
Objective:
To contribute to social cohesion and political stability in Indonesia. To strengthen IAINs Jakarta and Yogyakarta to play a leadership role in integrating religion and development and to strenthening their capacity to support teacher training and community development.
IAIN units involved:
The Project will focus on developing 8 programs, 4 in IAIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and 4 in IAIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.
- Teacher education for the teaching of science at the basic education level (Faculties of Tarbiyah/Education)
- Library training for madrasah librarians at the basic education level (Faculties of Adab/Letters)
- Community Development program (Faculties of Dakwah/Community Development)
- Interdisciplinary S2/MA programs in Pasca Sarjana/Faculty of Graduate Studies
McGill units involved:
The following units will be among those to receive IAIN lecturers and/or send professors to Indonesia. Other units may be involved in the Interdisciplinary program and linkage development activities, such as joint research.
- Institute of Islamic Studies
- Department of Philosophy
- Department of Sociology
- Department of Political Science
- School of Social Work
- Department of Educational Studies
- Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
- Faculty of Law