The Graduate School of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (SPs UNY) conducted a working visit to UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati Cirebon on Friday, 13 February 2026. The visit aimed to deepen understanding of digital transformation in higher education, the development of Distance Learning (PJJ) systems, and graduate school institutional governance.

The SPs UNY delegation was received by the Vice Rector, the Head of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training (FTIK), and a representative from the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Banggai, who were also present for a cooperation exploration agenda and a planned MoU signing. During the meeting, the university's leadership explained that the inclusion of the word "Siber" (Cyber) in the institution's name was a mandate from the Ministry of Religious Affairs as part of a broader push to strengthen Open Islamic Education Resources and digitalize the education system. This transformation toward becoming a cyber university demands a fundamental mindset shift among all campus staff to become more adaptive to digital technology.

As a higher education institution mandated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to deliver distance learning programs, the university has sent lecturers to develop modules and instructional videos at several leading institutions, including Universitas Terbuka, Telkom University, and Asia e-University Malaysia. This capacity-building effort serves as a critical foundation for delivering credible, internationally-standards distance learning.

The university currently offers an Excellently-accredited undergraduate program, as well as a Master's program in Islamic Religious Education under the management of its Graduate School. The distance learning program is designed as a solution for approximately 50,000 teachers within the Ministry of Religious Affairs network who have yet to complete a bachelor's degree. Learning is delivered across 14 sessions, with a maximum of four Zoom-based meetings, while the remaining sessions are conducted through the PIPD Learning Management System, which hosts all digital learning materials.

As a cyber university, the institution is positioned to become a center for the development of open-source Islamic education, providing digitally-based Islamic references and resources. The use of the name Syekh Nurjati was determined through deliberation among Islamic scholars and the academic community as a tribute to the renowned teacher figure associated with Sunan Gunung Jati.

The visit provided SPs UNY with valuable insights into digital transformation, distance learning governance, human resource strengthening, and technology-based learning development. The meeting also opened the door to further collaboration between the two institutions, both in academic development and graduate program initiatives going forward.