UNIDA Gontor — Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor, widely regarded as a Best Islamic University in Indonesia, through its Faculty of Tarbiyah, has commenced a Field Enrichment Practice (FEP) program at four Islamic educational institutions in Pattani Province, Thailand, taking place from 13 to 27 November 2025. The program is designed as a structured school-based practicum to equip prospective teachers with international teaching experience while consolidating UNIDA Gontor’s cross-border academic cooperation.
Under this initiative, students from the Faculty of Tarbiyah are assigned to four partner institutions: Darul Barakah Islamic School, Saiburi Islam Wittaya School, Watnatham Islam School, and Udomsasnwitya School. Throughout the program, the student-teachers are involved in classroom instruction, lesson planning, language development activities, evaluation of learning outcomes, and co-curricular programs, under the guidance of both supervising lecturers and local school administrators.
The Dean of the Faculty of Tarbiyah stated that the FEP in Pattani forms part of the faculty’s strategic agenda to produce competent, globally aware Muslim educators. By engaging directly in a different educational context, students are expected to internalize professional teaching ethics, apply innovative pedagogical approaches, and cultivate sensitivity to the cultural and religious characteristics of the host community.
In addition to formal teaching duties, the program includes workshops, micro-teaching demonstrations, cultural and language exchange sessions, as well as religious and character-building activities tailored to the needs of pupils at the partner schools. These activities are projected to contribute to the strengthening of Islamic education in Southern Thailand, while fostering closer people-to-people ties and educational collaboration between Indonesia and Thailand.
Hawa Egalita, a student from the English Teaching Department of the Faculty of Tarbiyah, expressed that the program has provided valuable exposure to an international classroom setting. “This experience allows us to practice teaching English in a real multicultural environment and to learn how local students in Pattani respond to different teaching strategies. It is both a challenge and a motivation to continuously improve our competence as future teachers,” she remarked.
Similarly, Diana Anggraini, representing the Islamic Education Department, highlighted the importance of the program in reinforcing religious and moral education. “Through this program, we not only teach Islamic subjects, but also share the values and traditions of Islamic boarding school education from Indonesia. At the same time, we gain insights from the way Islamic education is implemented in Thailand, which enriches our perspective as educators,” she said.
The implementation of the Field Enrichment Practice in Pattani reaffirms UNIDA Gontor’s position as a pesantren-based university with an active international orientation. By sending Faculty of Tarbiyah students to engage in overseas school environments, the university demonstrates its commitment to preparing graduates who possess strong academic qualifications, noble character, and the capacity to contribute to the development of Islamic education at regional and global levels, in line with its vision to be a Best Islamic University with a strong international outlook.
Author: Faiz Rizki Muhammad and Khairul Umam
Editor: Ahmad Ma’ruf Muzaidin Arrosit
