Chair of IPB University’s UWDS: Productive Waqf Strengthens Higher Education Autonomy and Social Impact
Productive waqf is considered to have great potential to strengthen the autonomy of higher education institutions while also serving as an instrument for sustainable social development. Through professional management focused on asset productivity, waqf can become a long-term funding source to support education, research, innovation, and community empowerment.
The Chair of the Endowment and Social Fund Unit (UWDS) at IPB University, Prof Alla Asmara, explained that endowments need to be transformed from merely conventional philanthropic activities into social investment instruments capable of generating sustainable economic and social benefits.
“The increasingly complex challenges of higher education financing require universities to seek alternative funding sources beyond tuition fees and government subsidies,” he said.
Through this transformation of waqf, it is developed not only as a fundraising instrument but also as a productive asset capable of providing long-term benefits. The proceeds from its management can be utilized to support scholarships, research, innovation, and various community service programs.
“Higher education institutions play a strategic role in developing waqf models based on research and innovation so that their benefits can be felt more widely by the community,” he said. However, he emphasized that the success of productive waqf depends on professional, transparent, and impact oriented governance.
This idea aligns with the perspective of the Rector of Fatoni University in Thailand, Prof Ismail Lutfi Japakiya, who views waqf as an investment whose benefits continue to flow across generations. According to him, waqf practices during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions were often realized in the form of productive assets that generated economic benefits for the community.
“Waqf is an investment. There is a common misunderstanding among Muslims that waqf is a mosque, or a cemetery, those are not investments. That is not the true nature of waqf,” he said.
He added that the core principle of waqf is to preserve the principal asset so it remains sustainable, while the proceeds from its management are utilized for the benefit of society. Therefore, productive waqf is seen as a sustainable solution to support education and social development.
Through strengthened governance and global collaboration, productive waqf is expected to develop as a modern development instrument that not only strengthens the autonomy of higher education institutions but also contributes to addressing various social challenges in the future. (Ez) (IAAS/SSR)
