In celebration of the 35th Anniversary of Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta (Milad UNISA ke-35), the 109th Anniversary of ‘Aisyiyah (Milad ‘Aisyiyah ke-109), and the 100th Anniversary of Suara ‘Aisyiyah (Milad Suara ‘Aisyiyah ke-100), The Aisyiyah Center (TAC) of Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta (UNISA), in collaboration with LPPA Pimpinan Pusat ‘Aisyiyah, proudly presents the International Conference on Aisyiyah Studies (ICAS) 2026.
The conference is designed as an international interdisciplinary forum that brings together scholars, researchers, students, activists, educators, policymakers, community leaders, and practitioners from various countries to discuss contemporary issues surrounding Muslim women, social transformation, religion, sustainability, education, health, digital culture, and global civilization from the perspective of progressive Islam.
Around the world, societies are facing increasingly interconnected challenges: environmental degradation, technological disruption, social polarization, economic inequality, crises of public trust, and the weakening of social solidarity. These realities demand not only technological innovation, but also ethical reflection, collective responsibility, and new forms of inclusive leadership.
For more than a century, ‘Aisyiyah has demonstrated how Muslim women’s movements can contribute meaningfully to education, healthcare, social welfare, humanitarian work, community empowerment, and intellectual transformation. Through its long tradition of service and public engagement, ‘Aisyiyah continues to offer important insights into how faith-based movements respond to modern challenges while remaining rooted in ethical and spiritual values.
Inspired by this legacy, ICAS 2026 seeks to create a global academic conversation on the role of Muslim women, Islamic movements, and interdisciplinary scholarship in shaping a more humane, sustainable, and socially just future.
Rather than functioning merely as a conventional academic conference, ICAS 2026 is envisioned as a collaborative intellectual space where academic research meets lived realities, humanitarian concerns, and future global challenges. The conference encourages critical, reflective, and transformative discussions that connect local experiences with broader global conversations.
Conference Theme
Strengthening Solidarity, Nurturing the Earth: Progressive Muslim Women’s Leadership for a Sustainable Civilization
This theme reflects the growing urgency to reconnect social justice, ecological responsibility, spirituality, public ethics, and human dignity amidst contemporary global crises. ICAS 2026 explores how Muslim women’s leadership can contribute to building sustainable futures grounded in solidarity, compassion, knowledge, inclusivity, and collective care.
The conference also highlights the importance of strengthening networks of collaboration across academic institutions, civil society organizations, faith-based movements, and global communities in addressing shared human challenges.
Objectives of the Conference
General Purpose: To provide a global academic platform for disseminating research findings, ideas, and best practices related to the role of ‘Aisyiyah and progressive Muslim women’s movements in addressing global civilizational challenges.
Specific Objectives:
To explore the historical and contemporary contributions of ‘Aisyiyah in education, health, law, economy, and politics at local, national, and international levels.
To analyze challenges and opportunities for progressive Muslim women’s movements amid global issues such as climate change, digital transformation, and social justice.
To formulate research agendas and strategic actions for ‘Aisyiyah in preparation for the 2027 Congress and in response to future civilizational needs.
To strengthen collaborative networks among academics, activists, and ‘Aisyiyah leaders worldwide.
To produce high-quality academic outputs in the form of indexed proceedings, special journal issues, and an edited volume.
Why Aisyiyah Studies Matter Today
More than a century after its establishment, ‘Aisyiyah continues to provide valuable perspectives on education, women’s leadership, public health, social welfare, environmental ethics, philanthropy, and civic engagement.
Studying ‘Aisyiyah is not only about understanding an organization. It is about examining how Muslim women negotiate modernity, shape public discourse, contribute to nation-building, and participate in global conversations about justice, equality, sustainability, and humanity.
In the contemporary world—marked by rapid digital transformation, shifting religious authority, and changing social structures—Aisyiyah studies also offer important insights into how Islamic movements adapt, transform, and remain socially relevant across generations.
ICAS 2026 therefore seeks to position Aisyiyah studies within broader international discussions on religion, gender, sustainability, public ethics, and social transformation.
Conference Format
ICAS 2026 will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing participants from various countries to join either physically or virtually.
Date: June 11, 2026 Venue: Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia Format: Hybrid Conference (Offline and Online) Organizer:
The Aisyiyah Center (TAC) – Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta
LPPA – Pimpinan Pusat Aisyiyah
Offline participants will attend sessions directly at the conference venue in Yogyakarta, while online participants will join through a virtual conference platform provided by the organizing committee.
Conference Topics
The conference welcomes papers related, but not limited, to the following themes:
History, Thought, and Movements: The legacy of ‘Aisyiyah women’s leadership in nation-building.
Women and Ecological Justice: Theological perspectives and ‘Aisyiyah’s practices in climate change mitigation and environmental activism (eco-jihad).
Da‘wah and Digital Transformation: Innovations, opportunities, and challenges of ‘Aisyiyah in cyberspace.
Health, Well-being, and Family Resilience: Responses to global health issues, stunting, mental health, and shifting gender roles.
Economic Empowerment and Social Justice: Social entrepreneurship, green economy, and ‘Aisyiyah’s role in poverty alleviation.
Law, Politics, and Citizenship: Advocacy for women and children’s rights and strengthening democracy.
Cross-Border Networks: ‘Aisyiyah’s role in diplomacy, global peacebuilding, migration, and interfaith dialogue.
Media and Literacy: The role of Suara ‘Aisyiyah and media in shaping progressive Muslim women’s discourse.
Empowering for Vulnerable Society : Elderly, Disabilities and Minority Group.
The Speakers and Moderators
ICAS 2026 will feature distinguished scholars, researchers, activists, public intellectuals, and practitioners from various countries who have made important contributions to the study of Islam, Muslim societies, gender, education, social transformation, public health, anthropology, communication, sustainability, and global civilization.
The conference aims to create meaningful dialogue between academic scholarship and lived social realities by bringing together voices from different disciplines, institutional backgrounds, and cultural contexts.
Through keynote lectures, panel discussions, and special sessions, the invited speakers will explore contemporary issues surrounding Muslim women’s leadership, faith-based social movements, digital transformation, ecological responsibility, humanitarian challenges, and the future of ethical civilization.
The speakers represent diverse perspectives and experiences from Indonesia and the international academic community, reflecting the interdisciplinary and global spirit of ICAS 2026.
Prof. Brian Yuliarto is the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia as well as a Professor of Nanotechnology at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). Widely recognized for his contributions to scientific research and technological innovation, he has played an important role in strengthening Indonesia’s higher education and research ecosystem, particularly in the fields of nanotechnology, advanced materials, and academic innovation.
Dr. Salma Orbayinah is the Chairperson of Pimpinan Pusat ‘Aisyiyah, a pharmacist, and a lecturer who has been actively involved in the advancement of Islamic women’s leadership, public health, education, and community empowerment. Through her academic, organizational, and social engagements, she continues to contribute to the development of progressive Muslim women’s movements, particularly in promoting social welfare, gender equity, and humanitarian values at both national and international levels.
Dr. Warsiti is the Rector of Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta (UNISA), a nursing scholar, and an academic leader who has played an important role in advancing higher education, women’s empowerment, health sciences, and institutional transformation. Through her leadership, she actively promotes the integration of Islamic values, scientific development, humanitarian engagement, and global collaboration in responding to contemporary social and educational challenges.
Prof. Dr. Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin is a leading Indonesian scholar-practitioner in gender and human rights whose work bridges academic research, policy advocacy, and diplomacy. As a diplomat and professor, she brings grounded insight into how women’s leadership shapes governance, protection frameworks, and cross-border collaboration. Her expertise is especially relevant to ICAS 2026’s focus on solidarity and sustainability, because she connects ethical commitments with institutional change—showing how values become actionable in law, public policy, and international engagement. Her contribution can illuminate pathways for progressive Muslim women’s movements to strengthen global partnerships while addressing inequality and social polarization.
Prof. Ezra Chitando, Professor of History and Phenomenology of Religion at the University of Zimbabwe and affiliated with the Faith to Action Network, is widely recognized for scholarship on religion as a driver of social transformation. His work frequently engages questions of justice, community resilience, and the public role of faith communities in responding to contemporary crises. At ICAS 2026, his perspective from Africa enriches a Global South conversation about solidarity, ethical leadership, and the social responsibilities of religious movements. He can help participants think comparatively about how women-led faith initiatives mobilize communities, shape moral imagination, and build practical alliances for peacebuilding and ecological responsibility.
Prof. Mark Woodward, Professor of Anthropology at Arizona State University, is among the most influential scholars of Islam in Indonesia and the wider Muslim world. Through anthropological approaches, he has examined how religious movements, public ethics, and political contexts shape Muslim life across diverse settings. His contribution to ICAS 2026 is valuable for situating ‘Aisyiyah within broader debates on modernity, pluralism, and the changing forms of religious authority. By connecting local histories with global processes, he can offer a nuanced reading of progressive Muslim women’s leadership as both a cultural practice and a strategic movement—capable of responding to polarization while building inclusive civic and ecological commitments.
Prof. Pieternella van Doorn-Harder, Professor of Religious Studies at Wake Forest University, has long advanced scholarship on Muslim women’s movements, religious authority, and the social impact of Islamic organizations. Her work highlights how women organize, educate, and lead within faith-based institutions while negotiating tradition, modernity, and public expectations. For ICAS 2026, she brings a sharp lens on how ‘Aisyiyah’s activism generates durable social change—through literacy, community services, and ethical reform. Her contribution can deepen discussions on solidarity by showing how organizational cultures cultivate trust and cooperation, and how women’s leadership can translate theology into programs that support justice and sustainability.
Claire-Marie Hefner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Manhattanville College, studies contemporary Muslim societies with particular attention to education, identity formation, and changing social aspirations. Her research helps explain how religious values are lived, negotiated, and communicated in modern public life—especially amid shifting class dynamics and expanding digital spaces. At ICAS 2026, she can contribute to conversations on solidarity by analyzing how communities construct belonging and moral responsibility in periods of social change. She is also well positioned to address “da‘wah and digital transformation,” offering insights into how women’s movements adapt outreach, pedagogy, and authority to new media environments.
Prof. Dr. Siti Syamsiyatun, Professor of Islamic and Gender Studies at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, is a prominent Indonesian scholar whose work strengthens the theological and intellectual foundations for gender justice within Islam. She engages questions of interpretation, ethics, and public leadership, helping connect religious knowledge to lived realities and institutional reform. In ICAS 2026, her contribution can anchor the theme of progressive Muslim women’s leadership with rigorous scholarship on solidarity, rights, and civic responsibility. She can also enrich debates on ecological ethics by articulating how Islamic values support stewardship and sustainability, while highlighting how women’s organizations translate moral frameworks into education, advocacy, and community resilience.
Prof. Mitsuo Nakamura, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Chiba University, is widely respected as a pioneering scholar of Muhammadiyah and Islamic modernism in Indonesia. His long-term engagement with Indonesian Muslim society provides a historical and ethnographic foundation for understanding organizational change, religious reform, and social development. At ICAS 2026, he offers a rare longitudinal perspective on how movements like ‘Aisyiyah evolve across generations—responding to new social challenges while sustaining their core ethical commitments. His insights can help participants identify continuities and innovations in women’s leadership, and clarify how organizational learning strengthens solidarity, public trust, and the capacity to address emerging issues, including environmental concerns.
Prof. Kim Hyung-Jun, Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kangwon National University in South Korea, contributes a comparative and transregional perspective on Islam in Asia. His scholarship helps illuminate how Muslim communities and movements interact with modern states, global networks, and evolving cultural landscapes. For ICAS 2026, he can broaden the conversation beyond national boundaries, highlighting how ideas, practices, and organizational models travel and transform across regions. This is particularly relevant to strengthening solidarity, as it encourages participants to imagine alliances that connect Southeast Asia with wider Asian and global contexts. His contribution can also support nuanced discussion of religious identity, public culture, and the dynamics of transnational engagement.
Hisako Nakamura, MA, a Japanese anthropologist and academic, is known for careful ethnographic attention to Indonesian Muslim communities and organizational life. Her work emphasizes lived experience—how values, rituals, education, and everyday relationships produce durable social realities. Within ICAS 2026, she can enrich understanding of ‘Aisyiyah by highlighting the micro-level practices that sustain a movement: mentoring, community care, women’s networks, and local leadership. This ground-level lens is crucial for the conference theme, because solidarity is not only a concept but also a daily practice built through trust, mutual assistance, and inclusive participation. Her contribution can help translate big ideas into actionable community strategies.
Prof. Andari Wuri Astuti, MPH., Ph.D., Professor of Midwifery Studies at Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta, brings a vital health and well-being dimension to the conference. Her expertise in midwifery and public health connects women’s leadership to concrete outcomes in maternal and child health, family resilience, and community care systems. In the context of ICAS 2026, she can demonstrate how sustainable civilization is inseparable from healthy families and equitable access to care—especially for vulnerable groups. Her contribution can bridge scientific evidence with values-based community mobilization, showing how faith-inspired women’s movements build practical programs that address stunting, mental health challenges, and shifting social needs.
Moderator:
Dr. Askuri, M.Si. (Head of the Aisyiyah Center (TAC) at UNISA Yogyakarta)
Dati Fatimah, MA. (LPPA Pimpinan Pusat Aisyiyah)
Dr. Witriani, M.Hum. (LPPA Pimpinan Pusat Aisyiyah)
Prof. Wantonoro, Ph.D. (Lecturer at UNISA Yogyakarta)
UAD/UMY (to be confirmed)
Types of Participation
ICAS 2026 welcomes several categories of participants:
Presenter Participants whose abstracts and full papers are accepted will present their research either online or onsite. Presenters are expected to actively participate in academic discussions and panel sessions.
General Participant Individuals who wish to attend the conference without presenting a paper may register as general participants.
Invited Speakers The conference will also feature distinguished scholars, researchers, and practitioners from various countries who will contribute through keynote lectures and special panel discussions.
Full Paper, Submission, and Publication
Selected papers presented at ICAS 2026 will have opportunities for publication in the Journal of Aisyiyah Studies.
To maintain academic quality and coherence, all submitted papers are expected to follow the official conference template provided by the committee. The template reflects the scholarly identity of Aisyiyah studies and encourages theoretically grounded, analytically rich, and contextually relevant academic writing.
The full paper structure generally includes:
Title
Author Information
Abstract and Keywords
Introduction
Theoretical or Conceptual Framework
Methodology
Findings and Analysis
Discussion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Acknowledgment (if applicable)
Academic Orientation
ICAS 2026 is not merely a conventional academic conference. It is envisioned as an intellectual and ethical space where scholarship engages directly with social realities, humanitarian concerns, and future challenges. The conference encourages critical, reflective, and transformative perspectives rather than purely descriptive discussions.
Participants are encouraged to produce papers that:
demonstrate conceptual clarity,
engage critically with contemporary issues,
connect local realities with global discourses,
and contribute to broader conversations on religion, gender, justice, sustainability, and civilization.
Networking and Collaboration
Beyond paper presentations, ICAS 2026 also seeks to facilitate:
international research collaborations,
academic networking,
future publication projects,
student and faculty exchanges,
collaborative community engagement programs,
and interdisciplinary partnerships.
The conference aims to become a sustainable academic ecosystem that continuously develops scholarly conversations on Aisyiyah, Muslim women, and progressive Islamic thought in the contemporary world.
For further information and updates, participants may visit: aisyiyahstudies.org
