Salatiga, Indonesia – July 4, 2025. Anzar Aquil, from India, a doctoral candidate at the State Islamic University (UIN) Salatiga, Indonesia, has successfully completed the pre-submission phase of his PhD program. The milestone marks a significant achievement in his academic journey, underscoring years of dedicated research and scholarly commitment.
The pre-submission examination was conducted in front of a distinguished panel comprising five academic examiners. During the session, Anzar presented his research findings and received valuable feedback and constructive suggestions aimed at further enhancing the quality of his dissertation. His doctoral research, titled “An Analysis of Curriculum and Its Implementation in Darul Uloom Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, India, and Pondok Pesantren API Tegalrejo, Magelang, Indonesia,” is a comparative study that delves into the educational frameworks of two renowned Islamic institutions—one based in South Asia and the other in Southeast Asia.
Supervised by Prof. Dr. Asfa Widiyanto and Noor Malihah, Ph.D., the study offers deep insights into the curriculum design, pedagogical strategies, assessment systems, and institutional challenges faced by Darul Uloom Deoband and Pondok Pesantren API Tegalrejo. Through this comparative lens, the research highlights both the distinct educational philosophies and the shared values that shape Islamic learning traditions across regional contexts.
Reflecting on the journey, Anzar expressed heartfelt gratitude for the continuous support of his supervisors, peers, and academic mentors. “It has been an enriching journey of academic and personal growth,” he noted. “I am thankful to everyone who has supported me throughout this process. The feedback from the panel will be instrumental in refining my dissertation for the final submission.”
With the pre-submission phase now completed, Anzar moves closer to the final stages of his PhD, contributing meaningful scholarship to the field of Islamic education and curriculum studies in the Muslim world.