Sharia-Based Financial Literacy and Protection Education for University Students
PT Prudential Sharia Life Assurance (Prudential Syariah) is strengthening its social investment commitment through financial literacy and inclusion programmes for young people, as well as Industry Social Responsibility (ISR) initiatives for productive communities. The series began with education on financial planning and sharia-based protection for 700 students at Airlangga University in Surabaya, in collaboration with the Indonesian Life Insurance Association (AAJI).
Strengthening literacy among young people is increasingly urgent. The Indonesia Millennial & Gen Z Report notes that more than 66% of young people face financial difficulties due to rising living costs and stagnant wages. Without adequate early planning, they risk becoming a sandwich generation, bearing the needs of both themselves and their families across generations.
This need is particularly acute in sharia finance. The 2026 National Survey of Financial Literacy and Inclusion (SNLIK) from the Financial Services Authority (OJK) recorded a sharia financial literacy index of only 43.07% with inclusion at 13.24%, far below the national indices of 69.57% and 93.61%. Among university students aged 18 to 25, literacy was recorded at 73.32% and inclusion at 95.69%. Young people are already accustomed to financial services, but their understanding of sharia principles still needs strengthening.
Vivin Arbianti Gautama, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer of Prudential Syariah, said that today’s young generation has grown up with technology and can quickly access financial services, but that speed is not always matched by adequate understanding. She explained that the company is present directly on campuses to equip students with financial planning, risk management, and sharia-based protection.
The activity continues Prudential Syariah’s collaboration with higher education institutions, including the University of Indonesia, Islamic State Universities in Jakarta, Banten, and Purwokerto, as well as UHAMKA and Muhammadiyah University Purwokerto. Throughout 2025, more than one million individuals have benefited from Prudential Syariah’s sharia financial literacy and inclusion programmes with Muslim organisations, universities, and communities, expanded digitally through the Sharia Knowledge Centre.
The same commitment extends beyond the classroom. For communities that maintain their livelihoods, Prudential Syariah contributes through ISR for salt farmers in East Java, providing geomembrane pond covers that protect the production process from seawater exposure and weather conditions affecting harvest quality. Vivin stated that the protection provided does not stop at financial solutions, but also includes education and empowerment whose benefits are directly felt by the community.
All these initiatives are carried out in the spirit of Janji Jadi Nyata, the belief that everyone has the right to keep promises to those they love most. Whether students planning their future or salt farmers protecting their family’s livelihood, Prudential Syariah is present to protect what matters most to them, so that every promise can become reality.