The delegation of University Teknologi MARA (UiTM) consisting of 5 lectures and officials and 20 students visited the Faculty of Social Sciences of Yogyakarta State University in an Islamic Civilization in Java Visitation Program, on Monday, January 27th 2014 at the West Canopy Building. During this program, the students of UiTM and their lecturers visited some provinces in the island of Java to study the spread of Islam in Java in the early centuries, including Yogyakarta. Welcomed by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences,Prof. Dr. Ajat Sudrajat, M. Ag., the participants were introduced to the history of Islam in Java by walisongo, the nine early Islamic religious leaders in Java. The short lecture was delivered by M. Nur Rohman, M.Pd., the head of the History Education Department.

In this lecture, the spread of Islam was explained in a culturally embedded context. Therefore, the students did not only learn history, but also how the religious leaders spread the religion through adapting the local customs, peacefully getting the society to be moslems. In addition, M. Nur Rohman, M.Pd. exemplified the local customs which combined religion and cultural rituals being still practiced by some of the moslem population. The students and lectures also had the opportunity to discuss how the university provided understanding of the local custom and religious practices.

After the visitation to the university, the students had an excursion to Merapi mountain, the natural icon of Yogyakarta.