UPNVJ Public Relations – Dr. Ade Nur Rohim, SHI, MEI, CDIF, a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Veteran National Development University (FEB UPNVJ), has successfully secured funding for the 2026 Multi-Year Advanced Research Program from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. The research focuses on strengthening the zakat ecosystem in higher education as a strategy to increase local economic resilience while supporting sustainable development.
Based on information from the feb.upnvj.ac.id page , the research entitled "Strengthening the Zakat Ecosystem in Higher Education as an Effort to Increase Local Economic Resilience and Multiplier Effects on Sustainable Development" focuses on optimizing zakat as a socio-economic instrument that has great potential in improving community welfare. The research was carried out by a team led by Dr. Ade Nur Rohim involving Fadhli Suko Wiryanto, S.Pd., M.Si. and Lili Puspita Sari, SEI, ME as research members.
According to Ade, this research was motivated by the significant potential of zakat, which has not yet been fully integrated into the academic ecosystem at universities. Yet, universities have a strategic role as centers for research, education, and community service, which can encourage more professional and sustainable zakat management.
"Universities can be important hubs in strengthening zakat governance through research, literacy, and the development of more integrated institutional models with various stakeholders," Ade said on Monday (March 9, 2026).
He explained that strengthening the zakat ecosystem in higher education still faces several challenges, including limited access, human resource capacity, and governance and regulatory aspects. Therefore, this research focuses not only on zakat collection and distribution but also on developing institutional systems, enhancing cross-sector collaboration, and integrating education, research, and community service activities.
Through this approach, the research team also analyzed the potential multiplier effect of strengthening the zakat ecosystem on local economic resilience. This model is expected to create a more inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable zakat management system, while also having a tangible impact on community economic empowerment.
The success of securing this research funding is an indicator of the increasing quality of research conducted by UPNVJ's FEB lecturers in addressing various socio-economic issues in society. Furthermore, the results of this research are expected to produce a model for strengthening the university-based zakat ecosystem that can be replicated by various higher education institutions in Indonesia.