The Development of Islamic Religious Education Curriculum based on Independent Learning and Independent Campus in Higher Education

Ifham Choli (Universitas Islam As syafi’iyah, Indonesia)
Marliza Oktapiani (Universitas Islam As syafi’iyah, Indonesia)
Rohimah Rohimah (Universitas Islam As syafi’iyah, Indonesia)
Eddy Saputra (Universitas Indraprasta PGRI Jakarta, Indonesia)
Hanifah Musa Fathullah Harun (Universitas Teknologi MARA (UITM) Shah Alam, Malaysia)

JURNAL IQRA´
Vol. 11 No. 2 (2026): Jurnal Iqra' : Kajian Ilmu Pendidikan

The development of an Islamic Religious Education (PAI) curriculum based on Freedom to Learn and Independent Campus (MBKM) in higher education is a strategic effort to address the demands of changing times, the need for 21st-century competencies, and the dynamics of religious life in the digital era. The PAI curriculum, integrated with the MBKM policy, provides students with the opportunity to learn more flexibly, independently, and contextually through project-based learning, internships, teaching assistantships, research, and student exchanges. This study aims to analyze the concept, implementation, and challenges of developing an MBKM-based PAI curriculum in higher education. Using a qualitative approach with R&D and the Rowntree model, this study illustrates how the PAI curriculum is designed to focus not only on mastering religious material but also on strengthening soft skills, digital literacy, and critical thinking skills and developing moderate character. The study results indicate that the implementation of an MBKM-based PAI curriculum can increase the relevance of learning to real-world needs, broaden students' learning experiences, and strengthen the pedagogical and professional competencies of prospective educators. Overall, the development of an MBKM-based PAI curriculum is an important step in producing graduates who are religious, adaptive, competent, and competitive at the national and global levels.