THE TRANSFORMATION OF ISLAMIC HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE DISCOURSE OF PLURALISM IN INDONESIA: A Historical Study

This article examines the historical transformation of Islamic Religious Higher Education Institutions (Perguruan Tinggi Keagamaan Islam, PTKI) in Indonesia and its relationship with the development of pluralist discourse. Adopting a qualitative, library-based approach informed by Islamic cultural history, the study analyzes scholarly publications and relevant academic literature on institutional change, intellectual development, and religious diversity. The review identifies the emergence of Islamic higher education as a response to Muslim communities’ educational aspirations and to broader processes of modernization and social change. The development of Islamic higher education, from Sekolah Tinggi Islam (STI) and state Islamic colleges to state Islamic institutes and universities, reflects the expansion of academic mandates and growing efforts to integrate Islamic and general sciences. The literature also identifies curricula and teaching, academic research, and community engagement as channels through which PTKI have promoted discussions of religious moderation, tolerance, inclusivity, and respect for diversity. Rather than establishing a direct causal effect on social attitudes, the historical evidence suggests that institutional and intellectual transformations have created opportunities for more dialogical engagement with pluralism in Indonesia. The study highlights the importance of examining both institutional development and the evolution of Islamic intellectual discourse when assessing the contribution of higher education to religious coexistence. Keywords: Islamic Higher Education; Institutional Transformation; Religious Pluralism; Islamic Intellectual History; Religious Moderation ABSTRAK Penelitian ini mengkaji transformasi historis Perguruan Tinggi Keagamaan Islam (PTKI) di Indonesia serta kontribusinya terhadap perkembangan wacana dan budaya pluralisme. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui penelitian kepustakaan dan analisis historis, penelitian ini menelaah artikel ilmiah serta literatur akademik yang relevan untuk menelusuri sejarah pendirian, perkembangan kelembagaan, dan perubahan orientasi intelektual pendidikan tinggi Islam. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa perkembangan PTKI mencerminkan aspirasi umat Islam terhadap pendidikan tinggi keislaman sekaligus respons kelembagaan terhadap modernitas dan perubahan sosial yang lebih luas. Transformasi dari Sekolah Tinggi Islam (STI), Perguruan Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri (PTAIN), Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN), hingga Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) memperlihatkan perluasan orientasi pendidikan serta meningkatnya upaya integrasi ilmu-ilmu keislaman dengan ilmu pengetahuan umum. Penelitian ini juga mengidentifikasi tiga bidang utama kontribusi PTKI terhadap pengembangan wacana dan budaya pluralisme, yaitu pengembangan kurikulum dan pembelajaran, penelitian akademik, serta pengabdian kepada masyarakat. Ketiga bidang tersebut membuka ruang bagi penguatan nilai-nilai moderasi beragama, toleransi, inklusivitas, dan penghargaan terhadap keberagaman. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa transformasi kelembagaan dan intelektual pendidikan tinggi Islam telah membuka peluang bagi penguatan nilai-nilai pluralisme melalui praktik pendidikan dan tradisi akademik yang berkelanjutan, meskipun kontribusi tersebut perlu dipahami sesuai dengan konteks historis dan kelembagaan masing-masing. Kata Kunci: Pendidikan Tinggi Islam; Transformasi Kelembagaan; Pluralisme Agama; Sejarah Intelektual Islam; Moderasi Beragama.