KKNI-Based Curriculum Reform in Islamic Higher Education: Evidence from a Peripheral Institution in Eastern Indonesia

Abstract

National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) have become central to higher education reform by promoting competency-based learning outcomes, graduate employability, and quality assurance. In Indonesia, the Indonesian National Qualifications Framework (KKNI) requires higher education institutions to redesign curricula according to Outcome-Based Education (OBE) principles. However, empirical studies have primarily focused on well-resourced state Islamic universities, while evidence from private Islamic higher education institutions in geographically peripheral regions remains limited. This study examines the implementation of a KKNI-based curriculum in the Islamic Religious Education (PAI) Study Program at STAI Babussalam Sula, North Maluku.This study employed a qualitative case study design involving semi-structured interviews with the head of the study program, a lecturer, and an alumna, supported by classroom observations and curriculum document analysis. Data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s interactive model through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Trustworthiness was enhanced through triangulation, member checking, reflexive field notes, and an audit trail.The findings indicate that the curriculum is generally aligned with KKNI Level 6 through clearly articulated learning outcomes, constructive alignment, and student-centered learning practices. The curriculum integrates Islamic values across courses while fostering cognitive, affective, and psychomotor competencies. Nevertheless, implementation remains constrained by limited lecturer capacity in Outcome-Based Education design and insufficiently systematic curriculum evaluation. The study also identifies a model of theologically embedded constructive alignment, in which competency-based curriculum reform is integrated with Qur’anic epistemological foundations.This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how competency-based curriculum reform can be contextually adapted within a resource-constrained Islamic higher education institution. The findings highlight the importance of integrating institutional identity, faculty development, and Islamic educational values to strengthen the implementation and sustainability of KKNI-based curriculum reform in peripheral higher education settings.