Pijar Foundation and Ministry of Religious Affairs Integrate Career-Readiness Programme for Students at Religious Higher Education Institutions
- Hilda Halida
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
The collaboration strengthens industry-aligned learning, digital skills development, and internship opportunities for students at religious higher education institutions across Indonesia.
JAKARTA, 9 June 2026 – Pijar Foundation and the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia have signed a Cooperation Agreement to integrate the Future Talent Hub with PRIMA (Professional Readiness Through Internship and Mentorship for Academics), the internship programme for Islamic religious higher education institutions, or PTKI.
The integration of the two programmes is designed to establish a more comprehensive career-readiness pathway for PTKI students, encompassing industry-aligned learning, mentorship, project- and case study-based assessments, and structured internship experience.
Through this collaboration, the learning and talent-development model implemented by the Future Talent Hub will be aligned with the policies, academic systems, and implementation of PRIMA Magang PTKI. Students will therefore gain not only access to internship opportunities but also relevant preparation before entering the workplace.
The agreement was signed by Prof. Dr. Phil. H. Syahiron Syamsuddin, M.A., Director of Islamic Religious Higher Education at the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and Cazadira Fediva Tamzil, Executive Director of Pijar Foundation.
The signing formed part of Temasek Foundation’s visit to Jakarta. It took place during a Strategic Partners’ Meeting attended by Achmad Adhitya, Special Staff to the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia; Ayse Melissa Hamid, General Chair of BPP HIPMI Womenpreneur; Shirley Tee, Director of Temasek Foundation; Alina Chia, Associate Director of Temasek Foundation; and representatives of Pijar Foundation.
The Cooperation Agreement brings together the respective strengths of both parties. The Ministry of Religious Affairs will support the alignment of the Future Talent Hub with PRIMA Magang PTKI policies and systems, coordinate with higher education institutions, encourage the integration of practice-based learning into academic systems, and facilitate programme outreach and student mobilisation.
Pijar Foundation, meanwhile, will contribute the curricula, modules, industry-aligned learning platform, project-based assessments, technical assistance, and network of business and industry partners developed through the Future Talent Hub.
Under this division of responsibilities, the Future Talent Hub and PRIMA Magang PTKI will not operate as two separate programmes. They will be connected to form a single learning and work-experience pathway that helps students prepare for the transition from university to professional life.
Prof. Dr. Phil. H. Syahiron Syamsuddin, M.A., Director of Islamic Religious Higher Education at the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, said that higher education institutions need to balance academic knowledge with the skills required in the workplace.
“Mastering theory alone is not enough. Students also need skills that are relevant to industry needs, including digital capabilities. Our collaboration with Pijar Foundation represents an important breakthrough in expanding internship opportunities for PTKI students, enabling them to acquire additional skills and become better prepared to enter the workforce after graduation,” Prof. Syahiron said.
The Future Talent Hub is a talent-development programme initiated by Pijar Foundation in partnership with Temasek Foundation. It is designed to provide students with learning experiences that are more closely aligned with industry needs through practical learning, mentorship, projects based on real-world cases, career development, and internship opportunities.
Between 2024 and 2026, the Future Talent Hub aims to reach up to 1,000 students from the religious higher education ecosystem, including 11 Nahdlatul Ulama University campuses under LPTNU, the Rabithah Ma’ahid Islamiyah network (RMI-NU), Ma’had Aly institutions, and various higher education institutions within the wider Nahdlatul Ulama ecosystem.
The programme reaches students from across Indonesia, including those who have had limited access to industry networks and digital career opportunities.
Students can choose between Digital Marketing and Product Management learning tracks. In addition to technical skills, participants learn professional communication, collaboration, project management, personal branding, presentation skills, and workplace preparation.
Cazadira Fediva Tamzil, Executive Director of Pijar Foundation, said the integration represented an important step towards expanding the Future Talent Hub model across the religious higher education ecosystem.
“The Future Talent Hub was built on a simple belief: that every young Indonesian, regardless of where they come from, should have equal access to opportunities in the digital economy. Higher education must be complemented by practical, industry-aligned learning, mentorship, and meaningful internship opportunities, enabling students to begin building their careers even before they graduate,” Cazadira said.
“Through the integration with PRIMA Magang PTKI, we want to ensure that students not only secure internship placements but also possess the skills, project experience, and readiness needed to make the most of those opportunities,” she continued.
The agreement strengthens the Future Talent Hub and PRIMA Magang PTKI as a unified talent-development pathway connecting government, higher education institutions, curricula, and industry.
The collaboration is also expected to help higher education institutions adapt their learning processes to developments in the workplace while preserving their academic strengths and the distinctive character of religious higher education.
Looking ahead, this integrated model is expected to reach more PTKI students across Indonesia and create broader opportunities for the involvement of higher education institutions, industry associations, companies, mentors, and internship providers.
