UIN Jakarta Named Best University Supporting Zakat
Jakarta (ANTARA) – UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta received the Best Educational Institution Supporting Zakat award at the 2026 Grand Baznas Awards, held as part of the 2026 Baznas National Coordination Meeting in Jakarta.
“The award is both recognition and a responsibility for us to continue strengthening the role of universities in supporting zakat management that is productive, transparent and has a tangible impact on communities,” UIN Jakarta Rector Asep Saepudin Jahar said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta was selected alongside four other universities: Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Sebelas Maret University (UNS), Padjadjaran University (Unpad) and UIN Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar.
Asep said the award would motivate UIN Jakarta to continue strengthening its support for zakat management and expand universities’ contribution to community empowerment.
He said zakat had strategic potential beyond fulfilling a religious obligation: it could also help improve welfare, strengthen economic self-reliance and broaden access to education.
“We hope zakat will not only serve as a means of collecting and distributing funds, but also promote sustainable community empowerment, increase economic independence and expand opportunities for people in need,” he said.
Rector Asep said he hoped cooperation between universities and Baznas could continue to develop through education, research, innovation and community service. This would enable universities’ academic and scientific expertise to support zakat programmes that are better targeted and more widely beneficial.
“We want support for zakat to grow stronger, both by improving zakat literacy among the academic community and by developing partnerships that deliver measurable, sustainable community empowerment programmes,” he said.
UIN Jakarta Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Ahmad Tholabi said universities had an important role in building zakat literacy through education and the development of knowledge.
UIN Jakarta is also encouraging the use of research findings to support effective zakat management with a meaningful impact. For this reason, cooperation between the university, Baznas and various stakeholders needs to be strengthened, he said.
“We see zakat not only as a religious obligation, but also as a strategic instrument for strengthening social solidarity, increasing economic independence and empowering communities,” he said.