Opportunities and Challenges of Soft Skills Integration in the Curriculum of Islamic Religious Colleges: An Empirical Study at IAIN Kendari
Keywords:
Soft Skills Integration, Curriculum of Islamic, Colleges
Abstract
The development of soft skills has become a crucial component of contemporary higher education, especially in terms of preparing graduates for social and professional life. Soft skills are closely linked to both employability and the development of moral character based on Islamic principles in the context of Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKI). The purpose of this study is to examine the opportunities, difficulties, and methods used in PTKI to help students develop their soft skills. Lecturers, faculty leaders, and students from various institutions, such as IAIN Kendari, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kendari, IAIN Madura, UIN Datokarama Palu, IAIN Pare-Pare, and IAIN Bone, participated in in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis using a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach. The results show that classroom discussions, academic presentations, project-based learning, student organizations, and community service all contribute to the development of soft skills. They are still not systematically integrated into the curriculum, and cognitive outcomes are still given priority in evaluations, which limits the effectiveness of soft skills development in students. There are strategic opportunities for a more comprehensive PTKI education model by strengthening the integration of digital learning and Islamic values, which can enhance both soft skills and cognitive outcomes in students.
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Zarkasyi, H. F. (2020). Islamic worldview as a foundation for Islamic education. Kuala Lumpur: IIUM Press.
Ahmed, A. (2017). Education in Islam: A framework for holistic learning. London: Routledge.
Al-Attas, S. M. N. (2018). Islam and secularism. Kuala Lumpur: IBFIM.
Andrews, J., & Higson, H. (2008). Graduate employability, ‘soft skills’ versus ‘hard’ business knowledge: A European study. Higher Education in Europe, 33(4), 411–422. https://doi.org/10.1080/03797720802522627
Azra, A. (2019). Islamic education and the challenge of globalization. Journal of Islamic Studies, 30(3), 345–360. https://doi.org/10.1093/jis/etz019
Barnett, R. (2020). The ecological university: A feasible utopia. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429278789
Bearman, M., Dawson, P., Boud, D., Hall, M., Bennett, S., Molloy, E., & Joughin, G. (2017). Support for assessment practice: Developing the assessment design decisions framework. Teaching in Higher Education, 22(5), 545–556. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2016.1248927
Bennett, D., Richardson, S., & MacKinnon, P. (2016). Enacting strategies for graduate employability: How universities can best support students to develop generic skills. Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching.
Bennett, N., Dunne, E., & Carre, C. (2017). Patterns of core and generic skill provision in higher education. Higher Education, 37(1), 71–93. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003451727126
Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M., & Rumble, M. (2018). Defining twenty-first century skills. In P. Griffin & B. McGaw (Eds.), Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2324-5
Bond, M., Bedenlier, S., Marín, V., & Händel, M. (2020). Emergency remote teaching in higher education: Mapping the first global online semester. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-020-00221-y
Bridgstock, R. (2017). The university and the knowledge network: A new educational model for twenty-first century learning and employability. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(2), 261–275. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1170762
Carless, D. (2019). Excellence in university assessment: Learning from award-winning practice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429506851
Chan, C. K. Y., Fong, E. T. Y., Luk, L. Y. Y., & Ho, R. (2019). A review of literature on challenges in the development and implementation of generic competencies in higher education curriculum. Educational Research Review, 28, 100295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2019.100295
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Halstead, J. M. (2019). Islamic values and educational philosophy. British Journal of Educational Studies, 67(3), 309–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2019.1599035
Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. (2017). Fostering and measuring skills: Interventions that improve character and cognition. IZA Journal of Labor Economics, 6(1), 1–16.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40172-017-0050-8
Huda, M., Jasmi, K. A., Mustari, M. I., Basiron, B., & Sabani, N. (2017). Understanding divine pedagogy in teacher education: Insights from Islamic tradition. International Journal of Instruction, 10(4), 1–16.
https://doi.org/10.12973/iji.2017.1041a
Huda, M., Maseleno, A., Shahrill, M., Jasmi, K. A., & Basiron, B. (2018). Exploring adaptive teaching competencies in Islamic higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 23(6), 706–719. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2017.1414789
Jackson, D. (2016). Re-conceptualising graduate employability: The importance of pre-professional identity. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(5), 925–939. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1139551
Jackson, D. (2016). Re-conceptualising graduate employability: The importance of pre-professional identity. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(5), 925–939. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1139551
Kahu, E. R., & Nelson, K. (2018). Student engagement in the educational interface: Understanding the mechanisms of student success. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(1), 58–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2017.1344197
Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H., & Whitt, E. J. (2017). Student success in college: Creating conditions that matter (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Maina, M. F., Guàrdia, L., & Sangrà, A. (2022). Micro-credentialing methodologies for the recognition of soft skills in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 19(10). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-021-00315-5
Panadero, E., Jonsson, A., & Botella, J. (2023). Effects of rubrics on academic performance, self-regulated learning, and self-efficacy: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 35, 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09823-4
Polakova, M., Hennyeyová, K., & Krajcik, V. (2023). Soft skills and their importance in the labour market under the conditions of Industry 5.0. Heliyon, 9(8). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18869
Rahman, F., Abdullah, M. A., & Huda, M. (2022). Integrating character education and soft skills in Islamic higher education: A conceptual framework. Education Sciences, 12(6), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12060375
Selwyn, N. (2016). Education and technology: Key issues and debates (2nd ed.). London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420
Suleman, F. (2018). The employability skills of higher education graduates: Insights into conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education, 76(2), 263–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0207-0
Suleman, F. (2018). The employability skills of higher education graduates: Insights into conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education, 76(2), 263–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0207-0
Tomlinson, M. (2017). Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Education + Training, 59(4), 338–352.
https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-05-2016-0090
Tomlinson, M. (2017). Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Education + Training, 59(4), 338–352. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-05-2016-0090
World Economic Forum. (2020). The Future of Jobs Report 2020. Geneva: World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2020
Zarkasyi, H. F. (2020). Islamic worldview as a foundation for Islamic education. Kuala Lumpur: IIUM Press.
Published
2026-04-30
How to Cite
Musthan, Z., Dirman, D., & Nasir, N. (2026). Opportunities and Challenges of Soft Skills Integration in the Curriculum of Islamic Religious Colleges: An Empirical Study at IAIN Kendari. Pedagogi: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 26(1). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24036/pedagogi.v26i1.2964
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Articles
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