Collaboration on Work Readiness Programme for Islamic Higher Education Students
The Pijar Foundation and the Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag RI) have signed a Cooperation Agreement to integrate the Future Talent Hub with PRIMA (Professional Readiness Through Internship and Mentorship for Academics) for Islamic Religious Higher Education (PTKI) internships.
The integration of these two programmes is designed to build a more comprehensive work-readiness pathway for PTKI students, ranging from industry-driven learning and mentorship to assessments through projects and case studies, as well as structured internship experiences.
Through this collaboration, the learning and talent development models implemented by the Future Talent Hub will be aligned with the policies, academic systems, and implementation of the PRIMA PTKI Internship. Consequently, students will not only gain access to internship opportunities but also receive relevant preparation before entering the professional environment.
The signing was conducted by Prof. Dr. Phil. H. Syahron Syamsuddin, M.A., Director of Islamic Religious Higher Education at Kemenag, and Cazadira Fediva Tamzil, Executive Director of Pijar Foundation.
This signing was part of a series of visits by the Temasek Foundation to Jakarta. The event took place during a Strategic Partners’ Meeting, which was also attended by Achmad Adhitya, Special Staff to the Vice President; Ayse Melissa Hamid, Chairperson of BPP HIPMI Womenpreneur; Shirley Tee, Director of Temasek Foundation; Alina Chia, Associate Director of Temasek Foundation; and representatives from the Pijar Foundation.
This Cooperation Agreement brings together the strengths of both parties. Kemenag will support the alignment of the Future Talent Hub with the policies and systems of the PRIMA PTKI Internship, coordinate with universities, encourage the integration of practical learning into academic systems, and facilitate student socialisation and mobilisation.
Meanwhile, the Pijar Foundation will provide the curriculum, modules, industry-based learning platforms, project-based assessments, technical assistance, and a network of business and industrial partners developed through the Future Talent Hub.
With this division of roles, the Future Talent Hub and PRIMA PTKI Internship will not operate as two separate programmes. Both will be linked to form a single sequence of learning and work experience to help students prepare for the transition from campus to the professional world.
In a statement today, Prof. Syahron Syamsuddin expressed that higher education institutions need to balance academic mastery with the skills required by the workforce.
“Students must not only master theory but also possess skills relevant to industry needs, including digital capabilities. The collaboration with Pijar Foundation is a significant breakthrough to expand internship opportunities for PTKI students, ensuring they acquire additional skills and are better prepared to enter the workforce after graduation,” said Prof. Syahron.
The Future Talent Hub is a talent development programme initiated by the Pijar Foundation in collaboration with the Temasek Foundation. The programme is designed to help students gain learning experiences closer to industry needs through practical learning, mentorship, real-world case studies, career development, and internship opportunities.
For the 2024–2026 period, the Future Talent Hub targets up to 1,000 students from the Islamic higher education ecosystem, including 11 Nahdlatul Ulama University (UNU) campuses under LPTNU, the Rabithah Ma’ahid Islamiyah (RMI-NU) network, Ma’had Aly, and various higher education institutions within the Nahdlatul Ulama ecosystem. The programme reaches students from various regions, including those who have had limited access to industrial networks and digital career opportunities.
Students can follow learning pathways in Digital Marketing or Product Management. In addition to technical skills, participants learn professional communication, collaboration, project management, personal branding, presentation, and workforce preparation.
Cazadla Fediva Tamzil, Executive Director of Pijar Foundation, stated that this integration is a vital step in expanding the Future Talent Hub model through the Islamic higher education ecosystem.
“The Future Talent Hub is built on the simple belief that every young Indonesian, regardless of their origin, must have equal access to opportunities in the digital economy. Higher education needs to be equipped with practical learning that meets industry needs, mentorship, and meaningful internship opportunities, so that students can begin building their careers even before graduation,” said Cazadira.
“Through integration with the PRIMA PTKI Internship, we want to ensure that students do not just secure internship placements, but also possess the skills, project experience, and readiness required to make the most of those opportunities,” she added.
This agreement strengthens the Future Talent Hub and the PRIMA PTKI Internship as a unified talent development pathway connecting the government, universities, curriculum, and industry.
The collaboration is also expected to assist universities in aligning their learning processes with the evolving world of work, without abandoning the academic strengths and character of Islamic higher education.
Moving forward, this integration model is expected to reach more PTKI students across various regions and open wider opportunities for universities, industry associations, companies, mentors, and internship providers.