Cisalak in Depok may not be the first place that comes to mind when we think of global scholarship. Yet from this quiet corner, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) is quietly shaping a generation of thinkers who are ready to engage the world. One of them is Aldi Nur Fadil Auliya, a graduate of UIII’s MA in Political Science, who has been awarded the Fulbright Doctoral Degree Scholarship to pursue his PhD in Political Science at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany.

Before taking this next step, Aldi was already active in Indonesia’s academic and research circles. He worked as a researcher at PPIM UIN Jakarta, a respected center for Islamic studies and policy research. He also taught as a lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. These roles reflect his deep engagement with both scholarly inquiry and public knowledge, and they show a clear commitment to contributing to Indonesia’s intellectual development.

During his time at UIII, Aldi explored questions around democracy, political Islam, Southeast Asian governance, and the role of Muslim societies in global politics. His academic interests developed through constant dialogue with peers, faculty, and visiting scholars. UIII provided not only the space to study but also the environment to grow—through critical discussions, interdisciplinary coursework, and exposure to international perspectives.