Baznas and Kemdiktisaintek partner to expand higher education access

The National Zakat Agency (Baznas) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) have entered into a partnership to strengthen the zakat ecosystem and expand access to higher education. This collaboration aims to support individuals who have not been reached by existing government programs like the Smart Indonesia Program (PIP) and the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP).

The partnership covers several areas, including the management of Zakat, Infak, Sedekah, and other religious social funds (ZIS-DSKL), literacy, human resource capacity building, and data synchronization. Beyond scholarships, the agreement includes community empowerment initiatives, such as involving students in community service programs (KKN) to assist small businesses.

A key component of this initiative is the launch of the Beasiswa Cendekia Baznas, which includes specific programs for domestic students from underprivileged families and a dedicated scholarship for Palestinian students. The latter is intended to support those affected by humanitarian crises while also fostering an international academic atmosphere within Indonesian universities.