LIPIA

LIPIA is a Saudi educational institution established in Jakarta, Indonesia. The college is a branch of the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main purpose is to teach Arabic and Islam. The college has been accused of promoting a fundamentalist view of Islam, harbouring political Islamists and Salafists. History The College was founded in 1980 to provide education with concentrations in Arabic and Islamic religion for Indonesian students with approval from the Royal Court, No. 5/n/26710. The name of the college was Arabic Teaching Institute ("Lembaga Pendidikan Bahasa Arab") until 1986. The college gives scholarship to its top students to continue their education to Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The most well known organizations that serve as primary conduits of Saudi funding in Indonesia are the Indonesian Islamic Propagation Council (DDII) and LIPIA. The vision of the LIPIA establishment is to be the distinguished leader in creative learning, teaching and research in Islamic and Arabic sciences. The salafi movement in early 1990s in Indonesia began to develop on university campuses, but mostly gained impetus with the arrival of other Middle-eastern educated and Soviet-Afghan War veterans. Following the 1979 Shia revolution in Iran and the Iranian/Saudi hegemonic conflict that ensued, Indonesia took on major strategic importance for Saudi religious politics. LIPIA not only helps Saudi Arabia to influence Indonesian society, it also provides a gateway to all of Southeast Asia. All lectures taught in LIPIA are delivered in Arabic language and about 80–90 percent of the lecturers are from Saudi Arabia. It has very high acceptance standard, where only 200 students are accepted out of 2000 applicants. Once they are admitted, they do not need to pay any tuition, even they are paid stipends. 200 students graduate from the college every year.