<![CDATA[This study examines how pesantren typologies shape pathways of character education across three pesantren in Central Java: the salaf-oriented APIK Kaliwungu Pesantren, the modern Darul Amanah Pesantren, and the tarekat-oriented Ar Rasyad Pesantren. Using a qualitative comparative design, data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation and analyzed through within-case and cross-case comparison. The findings show that character education across the three pesantren operates through shared mechanisms of religious learning, habituation, exemplary conduct, supervision, and collective life, while their functions are configured by different institutional orientations. APIK Kaliwungu connects character formation with kitab kuning and adab; Darul Amanah organizes it through structured discipline, language practices, and student organization; while Ar Rasyad integrates it with spiritual practices and self-discipline rooted in the Qadiriyah wa Naqsyabandiyah tradition. The comparison indicates that pesantren typology functions as an institutional orientation that shapes how shared educational mechanisms are organized and translated into character formation. Theoretically, this finding positions institutional orientation as a contextual dimension linking educational practices with character internalization. Practically, it suggests that character education can be strengthened by aligning character formation with the established educational identity, routines, and cultural practices of each pesantren. The study contributes a comparative perspective that shifts attention from character values as institutional outcomes toward the educational pathways through which those values are cultivated and internalized. ]]>
