UIN Bukittinggi Shariah Faculty: Extracting ‘Law in Action’ from the Womb of ‘Law in Books'
BUKITTINGGI, INDONESIA— The greatest challenge facing legal education in Indonesia today is ensuring curricula remain relevant to the evolving needs of society. Higher education institutions are tasked not only with producing graduates well-versed in theory, but also equipping them to be resilient problem-solvers. The success of legal education is measured by how effectively classrooms can integrate normative knowledge (law in books) into instruments of real-world justice (law in action).
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| A courtroom session in progress at a religious court in Indonesia (Source: pa-gorontolo.go.id) |
Through its 2026 Religious Court Practice Coaching session on Wednesday (July 15), which was attended by 235 students, the university is building a sturdy bridge connecting academic theory with the realities of law enforcement.
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| Dr. H. Salman (Chief of the Bukittinggi Religious Court) |
Throughout their studies, students have been equipped with normative frameworks ranging from the Compilation of Islamic Law to procedural law. However, this knowledge will face its true test when they are deployed to 21 Religious Courts from July 20 to August 17, 2026.
For these students, the courtroom will serve as a literal legal laboratory. There, they will learn that a case is never merely about legal articles, but involves the fates, rights, and futures of justice seekers—spanning inheritance disputes and child custody to the dynamics of Shariah economics.
Prof. Dr. H. Ismail, Dean of UIN Bukittinggi’s Shariah Faculty, emphasised the importance of integrating academic aspects with professional competence. Echoing this view, the Chief of the Bukittinggi Religious Court, Dr H. Salman, reminded students that modern judiciaries demand digital adaptability through e-Court and e-Litigation systems, alongside the mastery of complex evidentiary laws.
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| Prof. Dr. H. Ismail (Dean of Shariah Faculty, UIN Bukittinggi) |
These challenges underscore that hard skills, such as legal analysis and legal drafting, must go hand in hand with soft skills, including empathy, integrity, and mental resilience.
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| Participants of the internship briefing listen to a presentation by the speaker. |
Ultimately, UIN Bukittinggi’s move to deploy hundreds of its students represents a strategic investment in the regeneration of Islamic civil law in Indonesia. The future of the judiciary requires graduates who are not only adept at interpreting norms, but are also capable of delivering living justice that truly benefits society. [IRWANDI]
Dr. Irwandi
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- Dr. Irwandi
- International Office of UIN Bukittinggi
- io@uinbukittinggi.ac.id
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