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May 2025 Pages: 1549-1580 Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Higher Education Muliadi Muliadi1.
Syamsidar Syamsidar2.
Nurul Islam3 1,3Islamic Broadcasting and Communication.
Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri Majene.
Indonesia 2Islamic Broadcasting and Communication.
Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin Makassar.
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RELIGIOUS MODERATION BY DESIGN: A COMPARATIVE
SOCIOLOGICAL DAAoWAH STUDY IN INDONESIAN
HIGHER EDUCATION
Muliadi Muliadi1.
Syamsidar Syamsidar2.
Nurul Islam3 1,3Islamic Broadcasting and Communication.
Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri Majene.
Indonesia 2Islamic Broadcasting and Communication.
Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin Makassar.
Indonesia 1Correspondence Email: muliadi@stainmajene.
Received: August 1, 2024 Accepted: May 22, 2025 Published: May 30, 2025 Article Url: https://journal.
org/index.
php/jipeuradeun/article/view/1778 Abstract This study examines the internalization of religious moderation values among students at Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKI) and Public Higher Education Institutions (PTU) in South and West Sulawesi.
Indonesia.
Amid concerns over rising religious intolerance and extremism, higher education is increasingly seen as a strategic arena for fostering inclusive values.
PTKI, by design, promotes moderate Islamic teachings, but comparative evidence between PTKI and PTU remains underexplored.
Adopting a quantitative comparative approach, the study surveyed 400 students to measure their perceptions across four dimensions: national commitment, tolerance, anti-violence, and accommodation of local culture.
Results show that PTKI students consistently score higher than their PTU counterparts across all dimensions.
For example.
PTKI students recorded a higher mean score in anti-violence .
compared to PTU .
, and similar gaps are found in other areas.
These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of PTKI in shaping moderate and pluralistic religious identities through structured curricula and institutional culture.
The study contributes to educational and socio-religious discourse by highlighting how religious education, when aligned with national values, can counter radicalism and promote social This study offers a novel comparative framework that integrates sociological daAowah and self-perception theory to empirically assess how institutional environments shape studentsAo internalization of religious moderation in higher education.
Keywords: Religious Moderation.
Higher Education.
DaAowah.
Pluralism.
Anti-Radicalism.
p-ISSN: 2338-8617 | e-ISSN: 2443-2067 JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
9 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
No.
May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 Introduction Religious moderation has become an increasingly significant discourse in efforts to maintain social harmony in Indonesia, a country characterized by its rich diversity in religion, ethnicity, and culture (Akmaliah, 2020.
Hefni & Ahmadi, 2022.
Burhanuddin & Ilmi, 2.
As a concept, religious moderation refers to a balanced, inclusive, and tolerant approach to practicing faith, rejecting both radical extremism and excessive liberalism (Kemenag, 2019.
Faozan & Rasyidi, 2.
In IndonesiaAos sociopolitical landscape, where religion plays a crucial role in both public and private life, religious moderation has been promoted not only as a theological ideal but also as a civic imperative.
This framework is essential to sustaining the values of unity in diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ik.
, which underlie the countryAos national identity.
In this context, higher education institutions emerge as strategic arenas for cultivating a new generation of moderate, pluralistic citizens capable of navigating religious and cultural complexities (Rahmadi & Hamdan, 2023.
Wardi et al.
, 2.
In the realm of higher education, where ideologies converge and identities are shaped, fostering religious moderation plays a vital role in preparing students to become agents of peace, coexistence, and pluralism.
Public Higher Education Institutions (Perguruan Tinggi Umum/ PTU) and Islamic Higher Education Institutions (Perguruan Tinggi Keagamaan Islam/ PTKI) serve as dynamic spaces in which students not only acquire academic knowledge but also develop religious perspectives and moral values.
These institutions are not merely academic entities but also serve as cultural and ideological laboratories, shaping their studentsAo worldview and ethical Within these institutional environments, students interact with various religious, cultural, and political discourses that influence the formation of their religious identity.
According to data from Kemendikbud .
, more than 9 million students are enrolled in higher education institutions across Indonesia, underscoring the importance of the campus setting as a formative arena for religious discourse and moral development.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
Integrating religious moderation into the learning process, character education, and curriculum is an essential strategy to counter intolerant tendencies (Hopid et al.
, 2023.
Kosim et al.
, 2.
While religious moderation has been promoted as a key educational agenda, the role of higher education institutions in shaping studentsAo (CohenAaMalayev et al.
, 2.
Shihab .
emphasizes that a moderate religious attitude avoids extreme expressions and upholds balance and However, the advent of digital media, particularly social media, has introduced new complexities in forming studentsAo religious identities.
Recent studies reveal that conservative religious narratives dominate online spaces (PPIM UIN Jakarta, 2.
, potentially distorting young peopleAos understanding of religion and undermining the values of moderation (Akmaliah, 2020.
Zamzami et al.
, 2.
In the digital realm, students are exposed to competing ideologies that can both support and challenge institutional messages of tolerance and pluralism.
These dynamics align with findings from Huda et al.
and Muhamad et al.
, .
, highlighting how technological exposure reshapes moral perception and digital ethics among youth in learning environments.
These conditions create a paradox: while campuses promote inclusivity, students often navigate contradictory religious influences beyond institutional control.
Despite increasing scholarly attention on religious moderation, there is a notable gap in understanding how studentsAo social and religious backgroundsAias well as the specific institutional environments in which they are situatedAiaffect the internalization of religious moderation values.
Much existing research generalizes religious attitudes without adequately considering institutional or regional variations (Ginsberg & Glenn, 2020.
Ekici & Akdogan, 2.
For example.
Nasir and Rijal .
highlight that Islamic higher education institutions in Indonesia have made concerted efforts to promote religious moderation.
Yet, these efforts are often contextspecific and not always generalized to public universities.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
1 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
No.
May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 Meanwhile.
Hanafi et al.
, .
emphasize integrating moderation values into religious education curricula, showing how teachersAo strategies and classroom practices can shape studentsAo understanding of tolerance and These findings are echoed in the work of Masturin .
and Rifki et al.
, .
, who explore how character education and institutional strategies influence student behavior and religious understanding.
However, these studies seldom adopt a comparative lens to examine differences between PTKI and PTU students, particularly in regions with distinct sociocultural characteristics (Nasution et al.
, 2024.
Amri et al.
, 2.
Other relevant studies have also shed light on the importance of religious moderation in educational settings.
Aflahah et al.
, .
argue that education plays a central role in instilling religious moderation by promoting dialogue, mutual understanding, and inclusive civic values.
Humaidi .
discusses the philosophical foundations of moderation within Islamic education and stresses the need for practical applications through student engagement and community-based learning.
Furthermore.
Junaedi et al.
focus on religious boarding schools .
, asserting that the internalization of moderate values is deeply connected to institutional culture and leadership.
These findings suggest that structured educational environments, especially those strongly emphasizing religious and civic education, contribute significantly to internalizing moderation values.
Nonetheless, the limitations of previous studies are evident.
Many do not offer comparative frameworks or empirical measurements of studentsAo perceptions across different types of institutions.
There is also limited exploration of how regional socio-cultural settingsAisuch as those in South Sulawesi and West SulawesiAimediate the process of internalizing religious values.
Ferguson .
, drawing from Social Identity Theory, notes that individualsAo affiliations with particular groups strongly influence their attitudes toward out-groups.
This insight reinforces the need to examine how group belonging within PTKI and PTU settings may lead to varying internalizations of religious moderation.
The campus experience, particularly in pluralistic and religiously engaged institutions, contributes to studentsAo 1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
sense of identity and belonging.
Therefore, examining how students internalize moderation values in different campus cultures offers critical insight into how education systems can be designed to reinforce pluralism.
The originality of this study lies in its sociological and psychological exploration of value internalization, specifically how the campus environment interacts with studentsAo social identity in shaping their attitudes toward religious moderation.
We propose that a campus context that fosters diversity, interfaith dialogue, and inclusive interaction can significantly reinforce studentsAo internalization of moderation values.
Inspired by SutrisnoAos concept of a AudaAowah laboratoryAy .
, the study conceptualizes the university as a dynamic arena where religious discourse is taught, debated, and practiced through formal and informal social engagement.
This study adopts two interrelated theoretical frameworks.
First, the Self-Perception Theory (Bem, 1.
posits that individuals form their attitudes by observing their behaviors in social contexts.
Within campus environments, students who engage in collaborative religious and civic activities are more likely to develop internalized commitments to tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and balanced religious identity.
Second, the Sociological DaAowah perspective (Nugroho, 2.
frames daAowah as a form of value transmission and cultural communication embedded in social interaction, not merely textual preaching.
This model emphasizes religious educationAos institutional, communicative, and communal aspects as it manifests in everyday campus life.
Together, these frameworks allow the study to explore the multidimensional cognitive, behavioral, and cultural processes through which students internalize moderation values.
By employing a comparative approach between PTKI and PTU students, this study aims to explore how religious moderation values are understood, practiced, and internalized in different institutional and regional settings.
The research is expected to contribute not only to the discourse on religious education and national identity but also to the development of practical strategies for promoting tolerance, pluralism, and peace in IndonesiaAos higher education landscape.
Moreover, it aims to JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
3 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
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May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 provide empirical insights for policy formulation at both institutional and governmental levels, especially in strengthening religious moderation programs on campuses nationwide.
In a broader context, this study offers a globally relevant framework for understanding how higher education systems can actively shape moderate religious identities in diverse democratic societies.
Method This study adopted a quantitative research design to systematically examine studentsAo perceptions of religious moderation within the context of higher education.
The quantitative approach was deemed suitable for comparing perceptual differences between students enrolled in Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKI) and those in Public Higher Education Institutions (PTU).
By quantifying attitudes across four dimensionsAi national commitment, tolerance, anti-violence, and accommodation of local cultureAithe study revealed measurable internalization patterns linked to institutional and regional variations (Creswell & Creswell, 2.
The research was conducted in South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi, two provinces that exhibit diverse socio-religious dynamics.
A purposive sampling method was employed to select respondents based on predetermined criteria, specifically targeting sixth and eighth-semester This choice reflects the assumption that students at this stage possess sufficient academic maturity and social experience to offer reflective evaluations of religious moderation.
A total of 751 respondents from 12 higher education institutions participated in the study, providing a balanced representation across institutional types and regional contexts.
Data were collected using a structured questionnaire of 36 items to assess studentsAo agreement with various statements related to the four dimensions of religious moderation.
The items were measured using a 3point Likert scale .
= strongly disagree, 2 = moderate, 3 = agre.
, a format intended to simplify response interpretation while maintaining analytical The questionnaire was developed based on validated constructs used 1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
in previous national and institutional studies and adapted to align with the conceptual frameworks of this study.
Prior to full implementation, a pilot test was conducted with 25 students outside the sample group to evaluate the instrumentAos validity and Validity testing using item-total correlation revealed that all items met the threshold of acceptability, with correlation coefficients above 0.
Reliability analysis using CronbachAos Alpha yielded a coefficient of 0.
indicating excellent internal consistency across the instrument and confirming its suitability for broader deployment (Taber, 2018.
Tiro, 2.
For data analysis, the study employed the independent samples t-test to examine whether statistically significant differences existed between PTKI and PTU student groups across the four dimensions.
This method was appropriate for comparing mean scores between two independent groups.
Descriptive statistics were also utilized to provide an overview of demographic variables, including gender, academic discipline, and institutional affiliation.
These variables were considered essential for contextualizing the findings and ensuring a robust interpretation of the data.
The selection of this methodological design aligns closely with the theoretical perspectives guiding the study.
The use of self-administered questionnaires corresponds with the Self-Perception Theory (Bem, 1.
, which posits that individuals construct attitudes by reflecting on their behaviors in relevant social settings.
By capturing how students interpret their involvement in campus-based religious and civic activities, the method facilitates a nuanced understanding of internalized religious Additionally, by considering the institutional characteristics of PTKI and PTU, the study integrates a Sociological DaAowah perspective (Nugroho, 2.
, conceptualizing value transmission as a function of communication, cultural engagement, and social interaction within educational environments.
This methodological framework offers analytical precision and theoretical depth to explore how institutional context, social identity, and behavioral engagement shape studentsAo internalization of religious JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
5 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
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May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 The combination of statistical rigor and theory-driven interpretation enables this study to provide empirically grounded insights with practical implications for educational institutions and policymakers.
Results and Discussion Before presenting the empirical findings, this section provides an integrated analysis of the quantitative data gathered through student surveys, comparing perceptions of religious moderation between PTKI and PTU students across four core dimensions.
The results are then discussed in frameworksAiSelf-Perception Theory Sociological DaAowahAiwhile also drawing connections to previous research.
This combined presentation of results and discussion allows for a deeper internalization of moderation values in higher education contexts.
Results This study comprehensively analyzes studentsAo perceptions of religious moderation by comparing those enrolled in Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKI) and Public Higher Education Institutions (PTU) across South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi.
The findings confirm that PTKI students consistently demonstrate higher levels of internalization of religious moderation values than their PTU counterparts.
This conclusion is structured across four core dimensions: national commitment, tolerance, anti-violence, and accommodation of local culture.
In the first dimension, national commitment, the data reveals a strong association between religious values and national identity among PTKI students.
The mean score for PTKI students in this dimension is 2.
while PTU students scored 2.
This dimension measures how students accept national symbols, promote unity, and respect the constitution and state ideology in harmony with their religious beliefs.
The higher scores among PTKI students suggest that religious moderation in Islamic higher education is deeply integrated with civic education and promoting national 1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
This finding reflects the embedding of religious moderation into campus culture, daAowah activities, and structured discussions on Islam and These initiatives appear to enhance studentsAo civic-religious Chart 1.
Mean scores in the dimension of national commitment This chart clearly illustrates the significant gap between PTKI and PTU students, reinforcing that institutional environments shape civicreligious integration in meaningful ways.
The second dimension, tolerance, assesses the degree of studentsAo acceptance of religious diversity and their attitudes in intergroup PTKI students achieved an average score of 2.
86, compared to 51 for PTU students.
These results indicate that Islamic universities are more effective in cultivating inclusive religious perspectives through both formal education and extracurricular activities.
Tolerance in this context involves more than passive coexistence.
it reflects active engagement with difference, critical thinking about diversity, and the internalization of peaceful coexistence as a religious value.
PTKI institutions, through interfaith seminars, multicultural curricula, and community service initiatives, likely provide students with richer and more intentional exposure to pluralism than PTU settings.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
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Comparative scores in the dimension of anti-violence This visualization demonstrates that structured religious teachings emphasizing empathy and inclusivity are more impactful when embedded within an institutional framework.
The third dimension, anti-violence, highlights the studentsAo rejection of religious extremism, radicalism, and any form of coercion or intimidation in religious expression.
The data show a notable difference, with PTKI students scoring 2.
88 on average and PTU students scoring 2.
This suggests that PTKI students are more likely to associate religious commitment with peace, compassion, and non-violent discourse.
These findings reflect the success of institutional efforts within PTKI to emphasize non-violence through religious instruction, promoting moderate Islamic thought, and regulating student organizations to prevent radical influences.
In contrast, while PTU students may also support non-violence, the absence of structured religious moderation discourse may hinder consistent value The fourth dimension, the accommodation of local culture, reflects how religious values are interpreted and applied in harmony with local customs, wisdom, and cultural practices.
PTKI students scored 2.
whereas PTU students scored 2.
The higher score among PTKI students 1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
indicates a more contextual approach to religion, where cultural diversity is seen as an enrichment of faith rather than a challenge.
PTKI curricula often include discussions of local traditions within Islamic jurisprudence and theology, reinforcing respect for cultural pluralism.
On the other hand.
PTU students may lack formal platforms highlighting the compatibility of religion and culture, resulting in a weaker internalization of this dimension.
Table 1.
Mean scores of religious moderation dimensions by institutional type Dimension National Commitment Tolerance Anti-Violence Accommodation of Local Culture PTKI Mean PTU Mean The table above consolidates these findings, offering a clear comparison that confirms the consistent superiority of PTKI students in internalizing religious moderation across all four dimensions.
To support the dimensional analysis, the study also examined 15 sub-indicators moderation, including perspective, attitude, religious practice, openmindedness, and non-extremism.
The results clearly demonstrate that PTKI students performed better across all indicators.
For example, in the subindicator of religious practice.
PTKI students achieved 96.
51%, compared to 81% for PTU students.
Similarly, in open-mindedness.
PTKI scored 27%, while PTU scored 82.
The pattern continues consistently across indicators, affirming the strength of PTKI environments in shaping attitudes aligned with moderation.
Table 2.
Percentage of student perceptions based on religious moderation indicators Indicator Perspective Attitude Religious Practice Open-mindedness Broad-mindedness PTKI (%) PTU (%) JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
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Indicator Willingness Gentleness in Accepting Differences Respect for Diversity Non-Radicalism Non-Extremism Non-Intimidation Friendliness Respectfulness Acceptance of Local Cultural Values Practical Application e-ISSN: 2443-2067
PTKI (%)
PTU (%)
This table provides robust evidence of the depth and consistency of PTKI studentsAo internalization of moderation values across both affective and behavioral dimensions.
Chart 3.
Comparative visualization of religious moderation indicators The chart further highlights the striking consistency of PTKI studentsAo higher scores across all indicators, showcasing the breadth of their To offer a cumulative view, the total mean scores across the four primary dimensions were calculated.
PTKI students recorded a total of 38, while PTU students scored 9.
This cumulative comparison further reinforces the conclusion that PTKI environments provide a more structured and effective context for internalizing religious moderation.
These cumulative findings underscore a decisive pattern: PTKI institutions not only outperform PTU counterparts in individual dimensions 1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
and sub-indicators but also demonstrate a comprehensive and coherent internalization of religious moderation values.
The superiority reflected in both Table 1 and Table 2 is not marginalAiit is substantial and consistent across various indicators that encompass beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.
The significant differences in scoresAisuch as a nearly 13% gap in religious practice and a more than 10% gap in open-mindednessAiillustrate the impact of PTKIAos integrative educational model that consciously embeds religious moderation into academic discourse, spiritual formation, and cultural This advantage is further reinforced by the total mean score difference of 1.
47 between PTKI and PTU students across the four dimensions.
When viewed holistically, these results confirm that PTKI institutions create an ecosystem that enables students to not only understand but also embody moderation in religion.
This comprehensive internalization reflects a synergy between structured curriculum, religious guidance, and culturally inclusive environmentAielements that are less prominent in PTU settings.
Thus.
PTKIAos educational framework can be considered a best-practice model for cultivating moderation as a lived value in plural societies.
Chart 4.
Cumulative religious moderation scores across four dimensions: PTKI vs PTU This cumulative comparison encapsulates the findings, validating that the integration of religious moderation within PTKI environments is JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
1 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
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May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 not incidental but systematic and institutionally reinforced.
These findings provide solid empirical evidence that the educational environment in PTKI contributes significantly to studentsAo understanding and practice of religious moderation.
Integrating religious values with national ideals, tolerance, peace advocacy, and respect for cultural diversity is more pronounced in Islamic higher education institutions.
This forms a strong foundation for the discussion in the next section, where the implications of these findings on educational policy, curriculum design, and institutional practices will be critically explored.
These results show that PTKI environments effectively develop moderate religious identities and act as purposeful systems where values are shared through teaching and everyday social interactions.
Steady high scores in feelings and behaviors suggest that moderation is understood in the mind and reflected in studentsAo attitudes and actions.
This emphasizes the importance of looking deeper into how the culture of the institution, its leadership, and community involvement help students adopt these values, which will be discussed further in the next section.
The consistency of high scores across affective and behavioral indicators indicates that moderation is not merely understood cognitively but is also embodied in studentsAo attitudes and actions.
This study highlights the need to examine further how institutional culture, leadership, and community engagement contribute to value internalizationAia focus that will be elaborated in the discussion section.
Discussion The results of this study provide compelling evidence that the educational environment of Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKI) significantly enhances studentsAo internalization of religious moderation values compared to their counterparts in Public Higher Education Institutions (PTU).
The superior performance of PTKI students across all four dimensionsAinational commitment, tolerance, anti-violence, and accommodation of local cultureAihighlights the role of structured, value1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
driven educational systems in shaping moderate religious identities.
This section will discuss these findings considering the studyAos theoretical frameworks and prior research while also exploring the implications for educational practice and policy development.
First and foremost, the consistently higher scores of PTKI students confirm the hypothesis that institutional context significantly influences the internalization of religious values.
Within PTKI environments, students engage in formal curricula and structured extracurricular activities that explicitly promote religious moderation.
This finding aligns with the perspective of BemAos Self-Perception Theory .
, which posits that individuals construct attitudes based on reflections of their own behaviors.
PTKI students, through continuous involvement in community service, daAowah organizations, interfaith dialogues, and civic initiatives, observe their actions and subsequently internalize the values these actions representAitolerance, civic responsibility, and religious balance.
This behavioral reinforcement is clearly demonstrated in the high scores observed in dimensions such as anti-violence and accommodation of Students actively participating in moderate religious organizations and culturally sensitive practices see these actions as integral to their religious identity.
The findings echo the conclusions of Mohebi .
and Jaqua .
, who argue that repeated engagement in inclusive educational experiences fosters durable attitudinal change.
Furthermore.
Jordens and Overwalle .
note that the alignment between behavior and belief is strengthened when individuals avoid cognitive dissonance, reinforcing consistency between institutional messages and personal values.
The institutional structures of PTKI also serve as platforms for sociological daAowahAiwhere daAowah is understood not as mere religious preaching but as a social process of value communication within communal life (Nugroho, 2.
Unlike PTU environments, where religious discourse may be fragmented or student-led without strategic guidance.
PTKI offers top-down reinforcement through curriculum design, campus culture, and faculty mentorship.
The institutionalization of moderation values within JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
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assertion that religious understanding must be balanced with national unity and cultural relevance.
This is also supported by Nasir and Rijal .
, who emphasize that Islamic education institutions applying moderation values through lectures and student organizations successfully create environments conducive to value internalization.
The high mean scores in the national commitment dimension further underscore the effectiveness of PTKI in integrating religious teachings with civic identity.
This integration aligns with the stateAos ideological frameworkAiPancasilaAiand is promoted through courses on Islam and nationalism, civic education, and co-curricular programs that reinforce constitutional loyalty.
According to Tabrani ZA et al.
, .
, the internalization of Pancasila values within PTKI has cultivated students who are religious and exhibit nationalistic and democratic traits, forming the bedrock of religious moderation.
The findings suggest that PTKI students do not perceive a conflict between religious and national values but instead see them as complementaryAia synergy less evidently present in PTU contexts.
This harmonious integration is nurtured through curricular efforts and shaped by the broader social structures and interaction patterns that define campus life.
As Tabrani ZA et al.
explain, internalizing Pancasila values in Islamic universities such as Ar-Raniry State Islamic University effectively produces students embody religiosity alongside nationalism, independence, mutual cooperation, and integrity.
These values are manifested both in academic settings and social relations, demonstrating how the institutional culture at PTKI systematically reinforces the foundational principles of religious moderation in everyday student experiences.
Such a structured and value-laden environment contrasts with the more individualistic and fragmented atmosphere often found in PTU.
Moreover, in the tolerance dimension, the difference between PTKI and PTU students reflects the contrasting ways these institutions approach 1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
PTKIAos pluralismAithrough multicultural seminars, interfaith programs, and inclusive daAowahAi promotes conscious and deliberate exposure to difference.
This supports the argument by Nurcholish Madjid .
that authentic religiosity embraces universal human values and transcends exclusivism.
In line with this.
Takunas et al.
, .
emphasize that multicultural Islamic education is essential for building interreligious harmony and inclusive social behavior among students.
On the other hand, tolerance in PTU tends to develop more organically, shaped by informal social interaction rather than institutional design.
While this may encourage openness, it often lacks consistency and reinforcement.
This condition resonates with Rahman and ShapieAos .
findings, who argue that sustainable tolerance requires structured educational engagement supported by religious leadership.
Without this foundation, tolerance can become situational and susceptible to social fragmentation.
The dimension of anti-violence further illustrates the ideological strength of PTKI environments.
The rejection of extremism and religious coercion is taught and embedded in the institutional culture through courses on comparative religion, ushuluddin, and Islamic jurisprudence that emphasize moderation and peace.
Burhanuddin & Ilmi .
and Wahid .
both support the notion that structured Islamic education can inoculate students against radical ideologies when grounded in inclusive theological frameworks.
This perspective is reinforced by Latif.
Ubaidillah, and Mundir .
, who show that embedding Aswaja values within higher education strengthens resistance to extremism and reinforces moderation.
Furthermore.
Alwi HS and Taufiq .
point out that the transformation of daAowah into an instrument of inclusive social engagement has been crucial in countering politicized Islamism.
The PTKIAos use of daAowah as a method of cultural interaction and student mentoring thus contributes to shaping student identities that reject violence and embrace peaceful coexistence.
Equally important is the finding related to the accommodation of local culture.
The higher scores of PTKI students in this dimension reflect JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
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As a multicultural nation.
Indonesia requires educational systems to harmonize religious instruction with local wisdom.
PTKI curricula that include topics on Islamic local traditions, adat .
ustomary la.
, and religious customs help students understand that faith and culture are not contradictory but mutually enriching.
This reflects ShihabAos .
argument that maintaining cultural identity within religious discourse is critical to resisting homogenization and fostering inclusion.
Similar trends can be seen in community-level religious practices, such as Madani Village, where traditional religious authorities negotiate between Islamic orthodoxy and commitments (Rosidi et al.
, 2.
Such models affirm the importance of cultural rootedness in religious education, especially when facing the pressures of globalization and normative standardization.
These findings align with the concept of religious moderation proposed by Arif .
, who defines it as a balanced and tolerant attitude that promotes proportional religious understanding.
PTKI, through intentional curriculum design and extracurricular programs, creates a framework for embedding this proportionality in studentsAo moral This is corroborated by MaAoarif et al.
, .
, who highlight how the leadership strategies of kiai in Islamic boarding schools effectively instill religious moderation by integrating traditional authority with inclusive pedagogy.
In contrast, though often more diverse and secular.
PTU environments may lack the institutional mechanisms or ideological direction to promote religious moderation consistently.
As Sahrasad et al.
reflect in their study of Muslim minorities in multicultural societies, environments without strong religious-educational structures may leave students vulnerable to ideological ambiguity, leading to identity uncertainty and reactive religiosity.
From the perspective of Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1.
, the divergence between PTKI and PTU can be interpreted as a result of different identity formations shaped by institutional group dynamics.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
PTKI students often belong to structured religious communities that promote shared values and collective religious goals.
These communities foster a strong sense of belonging and ideological clarity, leading to greater value internalization consistency.
Conversely.
PTU students are more likely to form loose, heterogeneous networks that allow for freedom of expression but may not support the same level of value cohesion.
As Ferguson .
notes, identification with ideological communities enhances oneAos sense of ownership and respect for others, facilitating intergroup tolerance.
This is supported by Hajaroh.
Dwiningrum, and Rukiyati .
, who found that Muslim character development is most effective when reinforced by stable Furthermore.
Adnan Rahman demonstrate that in the absence of shared religious narratives and community bonding, religious conflict mechanisms are more likely to emerge, especially in pluralist settings lacking identity reinforcementAian issue more observable in PTU contexts than in PTKI.
The findings also resonate with AppleAos .
curriculum theory, which suggests that education is a site of ideological negotiation.
The difference between PTKI and PTU outcomes highlights that the curriculum is never ideologically neutral.
At PTKI, where the hidden curriculum Islamic accommodation, students are socialized into a coherent value system.
PTU, where such narratives are less emphasized or more fragmented, students may internalize values through trial-and-error socialization, resulting in more inconsistent attitudes toward religious moderation.
This distinction echoes Ichwan.
Pabbajah, and AminAos .
insights on the erosion of traditional religious authority in the digital era, where the democratization of religious knowledge leads to ideological disorientation.
Supporting this.
Khasanah.
Qudsy, and Faizah .
illustrate how fragmented and unmoderated tafsir contentAisuch as Gus BahaAos Tafsir Jalalayn on YouTubeAicontributes to individualized interpretations that, when accessed outside formal education settings, may hinder cohesive value formation, particularly among PTU students.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
7 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
No.
May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 The empirical evidence presented in this study also supports prior findings by Humaidi .
and Hanafi et al.
, who emphasize that the success of religious moderation education depends on formal curriculum and extracurricular and social participation.
Structured religious activities on PTKI campuses have proven effective in reinforcing the ideological and ritualistic dimensions of religiosity, both essential to forming a religious habitus, as Hood et al.
, .
In this regard.
Kadir et al.
demonstrate that even in science instruction, embedding QurAoanic values can significantly enhance studentsAo religious attitudes when properly contextualized within an integrated pedagogical approach.
The combination of religious teachings and communal involvement thus ensures that student identities are not only cognitively informed but also emotionally and behaviorally committed to the values of moderation.
Furthermore, the differences in sub-indicator scores between PTKI and PTUAisuch as open-mindedness, respectfulness, and non-extremismAi suggest a profound gap in religious moderationAos affective and behavioral This observation reinforces LickonaAos .
argument that moral education involves not only the transmission of knowledge but also the cultivation of affective dispositions and habits of respectful behavior.
PTKI appears to have achieved this balance more effectively than PTU, likely due to the alignment between formal education and campus social Studies such as those by Hasan and Mujahidin .
and Arifin et al.
, .
support this view, showing how internalized values in religious institutions foster consistent attitudes of moderation and ethical conduct among students.
In addition to theoretical implications, the study offers significant contributions to educational policy.
The success of PTKI in promoting religious moderation suggests the need for PTU to adopt similar frameworks, perhaps by introducing interdisciplinary courses on interfaith ethics, multicultural citizenship, and peace studies.
Extracurricular programs that promote dialogue, cultural exchange, and civic engagement should be institutionalized to ensure that tolerance and anti-violence are 1.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
discussed and practiced.
As the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemena.
continues to promote Islam Wasathiyah, these programs must be supported across all types of higher education.
The experience of local culture-based pesantren, as discussed by Burga and Damopolii .
, also highlights how cultural integration into religious education can strengthen moderation From a global perspective, this study challenges assumptions that religious education inevitably fosters exclusivism or radicalism.
On the contrary, the PTKI model in Indonesia offers a compelling example of how faith-based education can cultivate inclusive, democratic, and peaceful In Muslim-majority countries where extremism remains a concern, this model presents a replicable framework for integrating religious values with national and cultural identity.
It aligns closely with UNESCOAos .
agenda on Global Citizenship Education, which emphasizes diversity, human rights, and peaceful coexistence.
This view is reinforced by Mutawali .
, who proposes theo-philosophical approaches to religious moderation as essential antidotes to extremist ideology.
Nevertheless, the study limitations must be acknowledged.
Relying on self-reported data introduces the possibility of social desirability bias.
Additionally, the research is geographically confined to South and West Sulawesi, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings.
Future research should consider mixed methods approaches, expanding into other observations, and institutional ethnographies to capture a fuller picture of how religious moderation is internalized across IndonesiaAos diverse educational landscape (MiftAu et al.
, 2023.
Ulum & NisaAo, 2.
In conclusion, this study affirms that Islamic Higher Education Institutions are pivotal in fostering moderate religious values through structured pedagogical, ideological, and social frameworks.
The consistent superiority of PTKI students across all dimensions of moderation underscores the institutional potential for shaping civic and religious identities.
While PTU JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
9 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
No.
May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 institutions exhibit promising signs of tolerance and inclusion, greater integration of structured moderation programs could enhance their capacity to produce similarly moderate and socially responsible graduates.
Ultimately, the Indonesian experience offers a globally relevant model for cultivating pluralistic, peaceful, and resilient societies through education.
This relevance also resonates in transnational daAowah initiatives aimed at community empowerment, as explored by Ramdani .
Furthermore, religious study students tend to have a more formal and theological understanding of moderation, while students from general disciplines internalize moderation through broader social experiences.
This highlights the different pathways of internalizing moderation values in various academic contexts.
Religious moderation influences individual perceptions and social interactions on campus, creating an environment conducive to interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
An effective religious moderation program can reduce prejudice and strengthen social cohesion (Huda et al.
, 2024.
Salehzadeh, 2.
The religious moderation education model at PTKI, which integrates nationalism and pluralism values, has global relevance, especially for countries facing radicalization and religious conflict This model can be adopted in various regional contexts, such as the Middle East.
Southeast Asia.
North Africa, and Muslim minority communities in Western countries, to develop moderate and inclusive religious education (Khotimah et al.
, 2024.
Mohd Yusoff et al.
, 2.
This study recommends Educational Policy from the perspective of daAowah sociology, such as encouraging the explicit integration of moderation values into PTKI and PTU curricula through cross-religion courses, peace studies, and multicultural citizenship.
strengthening extracurricular activities supporting interfaith dialogue and cross-cultural projects providing continuous training for lecturers and campus staff to install moderation and utilizing technology and social media as an effective tool to disseminate religious moderation narratives to the digital generation.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
Conclusion The present study provides compelling evidence of the vital role played by Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKI) in fostering and internalizing values of religious moderation among students in Indonesia.
The consistent superiority of PTKI students across the four dimensions of religious moderationAinational commitment, tolerance, anti-violence, and accommodation of local cultureAidemonstrates the effectiveness of an educational system that embeds moderation as an integral component of both its formal curriculum and informal institutional culture.
In contrast, while Public Higher Education Institutions (PTU) students also exhibited moderate attitudes, their relatively lower scores suggest a lack of structured and consistent value transmission mechanisms within secular academic These findings offer valuable insights into how institutional frameworks, curricular content, and ideological alignment with national identity contribute to forming student worldviews.
PTKI institutions appear to successfully integrate religious values with civic responsibilities, promoting a vision of Islam that is peaceful, inclusive, and compatible with the pluralistic identity of the Indonesian nation-state.
The pedagogical design and institutional ethos of PTKI encourage students not only to understand but also to embody values that support social harmony, cultural respect, and non-violence.
Moreover, the results of this study have broader theoretical They validate the application of structuration theory in understanding how institutional norms shape and are shaped by student The study also aligns with curriculum theory, particularly Michael AppleAos assertion that education is a space of ideological construction and reproduction.
In this light.
PTKI can be seen as actively cultivating a counter-narrative to radical or exclusionary interpretations of religion by embedding moderation into the epistemic core of their curricula and community engagement.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences .
1 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol.
No.
May 2025 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 Beyond the academic implications, the findings offer urgent practical relevance.
In an era marked by increasing polarization, identitybased conflicts, and the global spread of religious extremism, the Indonesian PTKI model provides an alternative educational paradigm.
shows that religious identity, far from being a barrier to pluralism, can be a foundation for peace-building and inclusive citizenshipAiif developed within the right institutional and ideological frameworks.
This is particularly important for other Muslim-majority countries and multireligious societies seeking effective strategies for combating extremism without compromising religious freedom.
However, the gaps identified in PTU contexts call for serious There is a need to introduce more deliberate and structured civicreligious engagement strategies within secular campuses.
Integrating moderate religious values through civic education, interfaith dialogue programs, or collaboration with PTKI could help bridge this gap.
This also requires stronger policy coordination between the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Education and Culture.
This study underscores that religious moderation is not merely a set of abstract values but a lived orientation that can be cultivated through intentional education.
PTKI institutions have demonstrated the capacity to serve as agents of both religious and civic formation, offering a valuable model for Indonesia and global efforts to build tolerant, peaceful, and culturally grounded societies.
Further research and policy support are essential to sustain and expand these educational efforts as part of IndonesiaAos and the worldAos broader commitment to religious harmony and democratic resilience.
Future mixed-methods internalization further, capturing both quantitative patterns and qualitative insights into studentsAo experiences, narratives, and institutional contexts across diverse regions in Indonesia.
JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences Religious Moderation by Design: A Comparative Sociological DaAowah Study in Indonesian Muliadi Muliadi et al.
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