A regulation has been issued by President Joko Jokowi Widodo to turn the  Hindu Dharma State Institute (IHDN) in Denpasar in to the first Hindu State University of the Country.

As per the new regulation a new university with the name I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa State Hindu University (UHN) would focus to “administer Hindu higher education programs” as well as other types of higher education programs “to support Hindu higher education programs.”

According to regulation that was enacted last week all current students of IHDN will be transferred automatically as UHN students and same goes for the teachers and the faculty.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has issued a presidential regulation (Perpres) turning the Hindu Dharma State Institute (IHDN) in Denpasar, Bali into the country’s first Hindu state university.

The regulation stated that the new university, named I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa State Hindu University (UHN), would “administer Hindu higher education programs” as well as other types of higher education programs “to support Hindu higher education programs.”

Through the regulation, which was enacted last week, all current IHDN students are converted to UHN students, and all the institute’s assets and employees are transferred to the newly formed university. 

“The change in status has been declared through a Perpres and is just awaiting the handover from the central government. I am very happy and thankful,” IHDN rector I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana said in a statement on the institute’s official website on Friday. 

The institute initially started as a state academy for Hindu Religion teachers in 1993, later on it was converted into Hindu Religion College in 1999 and in 2004 it was turned into IHDN.

Sudiana said the regulation marked a historic moment for the Hindu faithful in Indonesia.

“Clearly this shows that President Jokowi has given special attention to Hindu educational institutions in Bali in order to improve the quality of our human capital,” he said. “Because of that, we should use this moment to move toward excellent human capital in Bali in the future.” (kmt)