Muh. Ghofur Wibowo, S.E., M.Sc., a Lecturer in the Islamic Economics Study Program, FEBI, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, recently took part in an international mobilization activity at Leiden University, the Netherlands. Under the title "Determining Optimal Government Sukuk and Sukuk-Growth Dynamic in the Issuer Countries," he successfully obtained the opportunity to receive Assistance for Expose/Short Course in International Standardized Research Methodology (BE-SCMRI) from the Director of Islamic Higher Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The SCMRI activity took place for 4 weeks, from August 20 to September 14, 2018, at the Leiden University Centre for the Study of Islamic & Society (LUCIS). All participants departed using KLM aircraft on Saturday (18/08) and arrived at Schipol Airport in the Netherlands on the morning of August 19. Upon arrival in Amsterdam, the group then proceeded to the Boerhaavelan area apartments, where they resided throughout their time in Leiden.

Mix of Tour and Short Course Program

Upon arriving in Leiden, the participants embarked on a campus tour, during which they were introduced to the campus's services, buildings, and the library. Notably, the library houses a diverse array of manuscripts and books from Indonesia, some dating back hundreds of years. Due to the immense value and fragility of these collections, the university takes great care in their preservation.
"It is indeed remarkable to find such a wealth of primary references from Indonesia in the Leiden Library, some of which may no longer exist in Indonesia," said Ghofur Wibowo.

According to the curator accompanying the delegation at the time, the majority of the thousands of Nusantara manuscript collections were acquired during the periods of colonization (VOC and Dutch East Indies), with some obtained through confiscation, gifts, or trade.

The activity then proceeded with a short-course program on internationally standardized research methods, known as the LUCIS Advanced Academic Skills Course, held from (20/8) to (14/09). The activity was the outcome of collaboration between the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs and LUCIS (Leiden University Centre for the Study of Islam & Society). Three lecturers, namely Dr. Dorrit van Dallen, Dr. Marielle Matthee, and Mara van Schaik, MA, were directly involved in delivering this course.

During the first week, Dr. Dorrit van Dallen delved into the topic "Presentation of Your Draft (article or research proposal)." This subject was particularly pertinent to the delegation's needs, given that one of the objectives of the activity was to develop high-quality international research proposals in English. Dr. Dorrit also underscored the significance of articulating the theoretical foundation and methodology in a research proposal. The second lecturer, Dr. Marielle Matthee, addressed Academic English with a focus on Academic Writing. This was followed by the third lecturer, Mara van Schaik, from Romania, tasked with teaching Academic English with an emphasis on English grammar.

Museum Visits and Additional Lectures

The Short Course in International Standardized Research Methodology (SCMRI) not only provided training and teaching in the English language but also encompassed other activities, including visits to the Museum of Ethnography Volkenkunde and attendance at several public lectures featuring highly accomplished professors in their respective fields. The Museum of Ethnography Volkenkunde, Leiden, is renowned for its substantial collection of items from the Nusantara. It even houses a spacious room dedicated to preserving hundreds of collections from the Nusantara, some dating back hundreds of years, such as statues/candi sculptures, keris (daggers), jewelry, dolls, and various other artifacts.

To wrap up the SCMRI activity, a Research Presentations event was held for all participants, with lecturers and students from Leiden University in attendance on Friday, September 14, 2018. The event commenced with an opening address by Dr. Dorrit and was officially opened by Prof. Petra. Subsequently, all SCMRI participants delivered their presentations, with each participant allotted 30 minutes to confidently and attentively present their research proposals. The audience actively engaged in the discussions, posing questions and offering feedback, indicating their thorough enjoyment of the presentations.