Student competencies (including those of lecturers as members of the academic community at universities) are a necessity and must be possessed by academics. These competencies also serve as a key factor in realizing the graduate profile, particularly in the Doctoral Program in Sharia Economics (PDES) Postgraduate Program at UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung. The PDES graduate profile is formulated as: academics, researchers, and consultants in Islamic finance and business (including Islamic entrepreneurship). As an effort to strengthen pedagogical modalities to realize this graduate profile, PDES conducted an international visiting company visit to Fig Malaysia Farm. Fig Malaysia Farm (FMF) was founded by Syed Fadli Shah bin Syed Elias and is located in Tanjung Pulau Santap, Kampung Janda Baik, Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia.
The visiting company, held on Saturday, August 16, 2025, aimed to learn about the concept of entrepreneurship based on local wisdom and strengths as practiced by FMF. FMF is located in the highlands of Malaysia, approximately 800 meters above sea level (equivalent to Gambiran and Gondanggunung Villages in Pagerwojo District in Tulungagung Regency). Syed Fadli Shah bin Syed Elias responded to this comparative advantage by developing a farming business with high economic and health benefits by planting fig trees. The fruit produced by fig trees is known to contain high levels of polyphenols and antioxidants and is very good for the stomach (according to Syed Fadli Shah), making it a worthy example for development in Indonesia (the highlands of Tulungagung Regency).
The visiting company, conducted by PDES lecturers (Prof. Dr. Agus Eko Sujianto and Dr. Mashudi, along with researchers and academics from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IUI), Associate Professor Dr. Raudlotul Firdaus Bt Fatah Yasin), also aims to bring universities closer to the business and industrial world (DUDI), as well as the world of work. This visiting company also serves as an embryo for developing Muslim entrepreneurs capable of seizing business opportunities based on local wisdom and regional comparative advantages. This is a modality to support the emergence of Muslim entrepreneurs who uphold business ethics and are able to integrate them with strategic management towards sustainable business activities.