Indonesia Expands Higher Education Access Through Zakat Partnership

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) and the National Amil Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) are strengthening cooperation to expand access to higher education and support community empowerment. The partnership was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding and the launch of the Cendekia Scholarship for Palestinian and Indonesian students in Jakarta on September 9, 2026.

Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto said the collaboration would complement government efforts to provide greater access to higher education. He said BAZNAS funding collected from zakat contributors could provide additional opportunities for students to pursue university education.

“With this cooperation, BAZNAS, which manages funds from zakat contributors, will use part of the funds for scholarships. This is certainly good news for the higher education community, as it will help expand access to higher education,” Brian said.

The partnership also covers community empowerment programs involving universities and students. Brian said BAZNAS programs could be integrated with student activities, including thematic community service programs and initiatives organized by student organizations.

“In addition, BAZNAS funds will also be used for community empowerment involving universities. Both scholarships and community empowerment programs will later be aligned with thematic community service programs and community service activities carried out by student organizations,” he said.

The cooperation also provides educational support for Palestinian students while creating opportunities for Indonesian universities to strengthen their international academic environment. Brian said the scholarship program could simultaneously increase the number of international students studying at Indonesian universities.

“The scholarships will also be used to increase the number of international students at our universities, because the donors have entrusted the funds specifically for the Palestinian program. This is also a very good program, because while helping our Palestinian brothers and sisters, our universities will gain international students who can contribute to building a stronger international atmosphere in Indonesia,” Brian said.

Under the Palestinian program, BAZNAS has allocated Rp22 billion for Palestinian students, involving 22 partner universities and providing 200 scholarship places. The program is part of the broader Cendekia BAZNAS Scholarship, which has been developed since 2017 and has reached around 8,000 to 10,000 recipients through partnerships with 246 universities.

For 2026, the Cendekia Scholarship targets 1,120 students and provides support for four semesters, with mentoring continuing through the eighth semester. The program covers diploma, undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels, including support for research and dissertation completion, while BAZNAS allocates around 27 percent of its funding to education.

The partnership also supports the Diktisaintek Berdampak initiative, which encourages universities to generate tangible benefits through education, research, and community service. Through cooperation with BAZNAS, the government expects higher education institutions and students to contribute more actively to community empowerment while expanding educational opportunities for students in Indonesia and abroad.