National Workshop Discusses Adjustments to the OBE Curriculum for the Arabic Language and Literature Study Program

Cirebon, October 29–31, 2025 – The Indonesian Arabic Language and Literature Study Program Association (IQLAB) held a three-day Outcome-Based Education (OBE) Curriculum Workshop , October 29–31, 2025, at the State Islamic University (UIN) Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon, West Java . This activity is the result of collaboration between IQLAB and the Faculty of Ushuluddin and Adab UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon .

This workshop was held in response to the need for Arabic Language and Literature (ASL) study programs across Indonesia to meet the minimum standards for an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) curriculum. This activity was also motivated by the issuance of Regulation of the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Number 39 of 2025 concerning Quality Assurance in Higher Education , which requires adjustments to the learning system in higher education.

Nineteen Arabic language and Arabic literature study programs from various universities participated in this activity, both under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) . The presence of these study program managers represents a concrete example of inter-institutional collaboration in developing new directions for Arabic language learning that adapt to the dynamics and needs of the times.

The opening of the workshop took place at the Auditorium of the 8th floor of the SBSN Siber Building, UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon , and was attended by the leadership of the Faculty of Ushuluddin and Adab as well as the IQLAB central management . The activity was officially opened by the Deputy Dean I for Academic Affairs, Dr. Wakhid Nashruddin , who in his remarks emphasized the importance of curriculum review as a strategic step in strengthening graduate competitiveness.

Following the opening session, the event continued with an intensive discussion and curriculum drafting session on the fifth floor of the same building. Participants shared experiences and best practices in implementing the OBE curriculum, including strategies for determining learning outcomes, assessment methods, and developing learning outcomes-based quality assurance documents .

This workshop is expected to be a productive forum for academics in formulating a BSA curriculum that is more contextual, measurable, and in line with the direction of national higher education policy , and is able to answer the challenges of Arabic language education in the era of globalization.

As a follow-up, the workshop participants agreed to form a national team to develop the OBE Curriculum Guide for the Indonesian Arabic Language and Literature Study Program . This team will work collaboratively to develop a national reference document. This guide is expected to serve as a shared guideline for all BSA study programs in Indonesia in designing an innovative, relevant, and professionally oriented curriculum.