About the Journal

Focus

Al-Azhar Journal of Educational Research (AJER) is an international peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to advancing rigorous and impactful research in Islamic Education across diverse educational settings. The journal provides an academic platform for researchers, educators, policymakers, and practitioners to disseminate original empirical studies, theoretical analyses, systematic literature reviews, and methodological innovations that contribute to the development of Islamic educational thought, policy, and practice in local, national, and global contexts.

AJER emphasizes interdisciplinary scholarship that integrates Islamic educational traditions with contemporary educational sciences, digital transformation, sustainability, social inclusion, and global educational challenges. The journal encourages research that offers theoretical advancement, methodological rigor, practical implications, and evidence-based solutions for improving Islamic education in the twenty-first century. 

Scope

AJER welcomes original manuscripts in, but not limited to, the following areas:

1. Philosophy and Foundations of Islamic Education

  • Philosophy of Islamic education

  • Islamic educational thought

  • Comparative educational philosophy

  • Contemporary Islamic educational discourse

2. Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogical Innovation

  • Curriculum development

  • Teaching and learning innovation

  • Student-centered learning

  • Active learning

  • Outcome-Based Education (OBE)

  • Competency-based education

3. Islamic Religious Education (PAI)

  • Islamic Religious Education

  • Qur'anic education

  • Hadith-based learning

  • Fiqh education

  • Aqidah-Akhlaq education

  • Islamic values integration

4. Islamic Educational Technology

  • Artificial Intelligence in Islamic education

  • Digital learning

  • Hybrid learning

  • Blended learning

  • E-learning

  • Learning Management System

  • Educational technology

  • Learning analytics

5. Teacher Education and Professional Development

  • Teacher competence

  • Professional learning

  • Teacher identity

  • Instructional leadership

  • Teacher training

  • Teacher performance

6. Educational Leadership and Management

  • Educational leadership

  • School management

  • Madrasah management

  • Islamic higher education governance

  • Quality assurance

  • Strategic management

7. Assessment and Evaluation

  • Educational assessment

  • Learning evaluation

  • Classroom assessment

  • Authentic assessment

  • Educational measurement

  • Learning outcomes

8. Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren) Studies

  • Pesantren transformation

  • Boarding school education

  • Curriculum innovation

  • Pesantren leadership

  • Community engagement

9. Madrasah Education

  • Madrasah reform

  • Madrasah innovation

  • Quality improvement

  • Institutional development

  • Educational governance

10. Character Education and Religious Moderation

  • Character education

  • Moral education

  • Religious moderation

  • Citizenship education

  • Peace education

  • Multicultural education

11. Inclusive and Sustainable Islamic Education

  • Inclusive education

  • Disability studies

  • Gender in education

  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  • Green education

  • Environmental education

  • Eco-theology education

12. Educational Psychology in Islamic Context

  • Learning motivation

  • Student engagement

  • Islamic counseling

  • Educational psychology

  • Well-being

  • Social-emotional learning

13. Educational Policy and Governance

  • Islamic education policy

  • Educational reform

  • Governance

  • Decentralization

  • Educational quality assurance

14. Comparative and International Islamic Education

  • Comparative education

  • Global Islamic education

  • Internationalization

  • Cross-cultural studies

  • International collaboration

15. Emerging Issues in Islamic Education

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • Big Data in education

  • Educational Data Mining

  • Digital ethics

  • Academic integrity

  • Educational resilience

  • Future learning

  • Society 5.0

  • Education 5.0

Types of Articles

AJER accepts:

  • Original Research Articles

  • Systematic Literature Reviews

  • Meta-analysis

  • Theoretical and Conceptual Papers

  • Methodological Papers

  • Research Notes

  • Book Reviews (by invitation)

Out of Scope

AJER does not consider manuscripts that:

  • merely describe classroom activities without scholarly contribution;

  • lack a clear research question or methodological rigor;

  • are purely normative or devotional without academic analysis;

  • are opinion pieces without empirical or theoretical support;

  • focus solely on general Islamic studies unless they explicitly contribute to the advancement of Islamic education.