Religious Moderation as Pedagogical Communication in Islamic Higher Education: Curriculum Integration, Digital Literacy, and Academic Culture

Abstract

This study is grounded in the urgency of strengthening religious moderation in Islamic higher education as a response to increasing religious diversity, potential intolerance, and the need for a curriculum that develops students’ religious knowledge, tolerance, inclusiveness, and national commitment. The study aims to analyze the implementation of religious moderation values in the curriculum of the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Adab, and Da’wah, examine lecturers’ strategies in integrating these values into the learning process, and identify the supporting and inhibiting factors affecting their implementation. This research employed a qualitative field research design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and curriculum document analysis, and were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, consisting of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings reveal that religious moderation values are implemented through four dimensions: structural, substantive, pedagogical, and cultural. Structurally, these values are integrated into the Outcome-Based Education curriculum through learning outcomes, semester learning plans, and assessment components. Substantively and pedagogically, values such as tolerance, justice, balance, anti-violence, appreciation of local culture, and national commitment are embedded through course materials, discussions, case studies, reflection, digital literacy, and lecturer role-modeling. Culturally, they are reinforced through academic culture, seminars, student organizations, and campus dialogue. This study contributes to Islamic education and communication studies by demonstrating that religious moderation should be understood as a lived curricular practice embedded in learning design, academic interaction, and institutional culture.