It wasn’t just another morning on campus. As the academic community of UIN Sastro Karno Yuwono gathered at the Faculty of Science and Technology on May 7, 2025, there was a quiet reverence in the air. They came not just to attend a seminar, but to witness a farewell—one filled with gratitude, memory, and the enduring light of a scholar who shaped generations.

For over three decades, Prof. Dr. Maizer Said Nahdi, M.Si., served not only as a professor or dean—but as a guiding presence in UIN’s transformation from a traditional Islamic institute to a forward-looking university. His retirement marked the close of a chapter, but not the end of his influence.

“I don’t stand here today as just a rector,” said Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, Ph.D., his voice steady yet emotional.
“I speak as a student honoring a teacher. Prof. Maizer was the light during a time of uncertainty—when the integration of science and Islamic knowledge was still considered unfamiliar. He made it real. He made it possible.”

The Rector emphasized that Prof. Maizer’s leadership laid the foundation for what is now one of the university’s most dynamic faculties, soon to give birth to a new Faculty of Medicine.

“Behind that achievement are years of quiet labor—his vision, his hands, his unwavering dedication. What we have today is a result of his relentless pursuit of excellence. And now, it is our duty to protect and advance what he built.”

For Prof. Khurul Wardati, M.Si., the current Dean, Prof. Maizer’s contribution goes far beyond infrastructure.

“He didn’t just build a faculty; he built a culture. A culture rooted in humility, knowledge, and care. His leadership shaped our identity and earned us recognition not only nationally, but internationally.”

The launch of Prof. Maizer’s biography, “Rumahku Syurgaku” (My Home, My Heaven), served as both a tribute and a symbol—a reminder that institutions are not just made of walls, but of the hearts that breathe life into them.

In his farewell address, Prof. Maizer chose not to dwell on endings. Instead, he looked to the future.

“This is not goodbye,” he said. “This is a transition. Keep nurturing knowledge. Keep walking with purpose. What we plant today becomes the shade for generations we may never meet.”

That morning, there were tears—silent, sincere. But more than sadness, there was strength. A deep recognition that one man’s light had kindled many others.

Prof. Maizer’s legacy is not confined to a title or tenure. It lives on—in the values he instilled, the faculty he built, and the students whose lives he touched.

And as the university looks ahead to global stages, it does so standing on the shoulders of a quiet giant who once dared to dream—and made that dream everyone’s home.