Prof. Siti Syamsiyatun, Chair of the Research and Development Institute of ‘Aisyiyah (LPPA) of the Central Board of ‘Aisyiyah and one of the initiators of ICAS 2026, expresses great enthusiasm for the organization of the International Conference on ‘Aisyiyah Studies. She explains that LPPA PP ‘Aisyiyah is honored to host ICAS 2026 as a global academic forum dedicated to examining the intellectual, social, and historical contributions of ‘Aisyiyah.
According to her, for more than a century ‘Aisyiyah has been actively transforming communities through education, healthcare, social advocacy, and women’s empowerment. However, she acknowledges that much of this transformative work has not yet been fully documented or discussed within international academic discourse. ICAS 2026 is therefore envisioned as an important bridge—connecting grassroots experiences and social practices with scholarly reflection and academic research.
Prof. Siti Syamsiyatun emphasizes that the conference has several important objectives. First, it seeks to recognize and critically examine ‘Aisyiyah’s long-standing contributions to social development and the advancement of women. Second, it aims to cultivate a stronger body of scholarly research on women’s movements, Islamic thought, and community-based development. Third, the conference intends to create an open intellectual space where practitioners, activists, and scholars can exchange knowledge, share experiences, and develop collaborative initiatives.
She further highlights that ICAS 2026 is not merely an academic event, but a collective effort to expand the field of ‘Aisyiyah Studies and to strengthen global conversations on progressive Muslim women’s leadership. Through this conference, she hopes that the experiences and ideas emerging from ‘Aisyiyah’s long journey will inspire new research, new partnerships, and new visions for building a more just, compassionate, and sustainable future.
Prof. Siti Syamsiyatun warmly invites scholars, researchers, students, activists, and the wider public to participate in ICAS 2026, to celebrate the achievements of ‘Aisyiyah, and to contribute to shaping the future direction of ‘Aisyiyah studies in the global academic landscape.
Wish to part of this journey of learning , unleashing and relearning to capture and understand the role Aisyiyah play through its thematic areas of its discourse. Having witnessed the phenomenal achievement of its goals right from early 19th century when I attended the GCWRI under the auspice of Faith to Action Network is remarkable journey . We can only pray that it continues to play this vital role despite the challenging times