UNU Jogja's Raden Mas Djatmika Mosque Management Strengthens Student Leaders with NU Values and Campus Mosque Development

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – The Mosque Management Board (DKM) of Raden Mas Djatmika Mosque at Nahdlatul Ulama University of Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja) held a Capacity Building Program for its management team at the Pre-Function Hall on the fifth floor of UNU Jogja on Friday, July 17. The program was designed to strengthen the competencies of mosque administrators in managing the campus mosque while reinforcing the values of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah (Aswaja) as the foundation for Islamic outreach and character development within the university community.

The program featured KH. Edy Musoffa, S.Ag., M.H.I., a member of the Council of Religious Scholars of UNU Jogja Islamic Boarding School, and Dr. Abdul Ghoffar, MBA, Vice Rector for Islamic Boarding School Affairs at UNU Jogja. The participants were members of the Mosque Management Board, consisting of UNU Jogja students from various academic programs.

Udin Kusuma, Chair of the Raden Mas Djatmika Mosque Management Board, emphasized that enhancing the capacity of mosque administrators is essential to ensuring that the campus mosque remains relevant in addressing contemporary challenges while strengthening its role within the university.

"A campus mosque is not merely a place of worship. It is also a space for character building, leadership development, and strengthening the values of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah. Therefore, mosque administrators must continue learning so they can create meaningful programs that benefit the entire academic community," he said.

During the first session, KH. Edy Musoffa delivered a presentation on Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) values as the foundation for managing mosques within the NU tradition. He highlighted the importance of understanding the principles of Aswaja An-Nahdliyah so that mosque programs focus not only on facilitating worship but also on fostering moderation, tolerance, and preserving Islamic traditions that have long been rooted in Indonesian society.

He noted that this understanding would equip the management board to carry out its responsibilities while preserving the identity of Raden Mas Djatmika Mosque as a campus mosque that upholds the values of Nahdlatul Ulama.

In the second session, Dr. Abdul Ghoffar presented a lecture entitled "Students and the Campus Mosque." He explained that a campus mosque serves not only as a place of worship but also as a center for Islamic learning and student character development. According to him, it provides opportunities for students to develop leadership, managerial abilities, and various social skills.

He further emphasized that students should not merely attend the mosque as worshippers but should actively contribute by organizing Islamic outreach programs, religious discussions, social initiatives, and innovations in mosque management. Such collaboration between students and the mosque, he explained, would help cultivate a campus environment that is religious, productive, and beneficial to society.

Through this capacity-building program, the mosque management board is expected to gain a deeper understanding of NU values while optimizing the role of the campus mosque as a center for students' spiritual, intellectual, and leadership development.

As a university in Yogyakarta that integrates the values of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah into its educational system, UNU Jogja remains committed to strengthening the role of its campus mosque as a center for Islamic outreach, character development, and student empowerment, enabling students to make meaningful contributions to society. [Latifah]