Beyond Certification: Professional Identity And Practice Readiness Among Newly Certified Waqf Nazhir In Urban Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51311/istikhlaf.v8i2.1828Keywords:
nazhir certification, practice readiness, training transfer, professional identity, waqf governanceAbstract
Professional certification is increasingly promoted as a mechanism for strengthening the competence and professionalism of waqf managers (nazhir) in Indonesia. However, formal recognition of competence does not necessarily ensure that certified knowledge and skills are translated into sustained organisational practice. This study examines the post-certification experiences of eight nazhir who obtained professional competency certification in 2025 and operate in the urban context of Serang City, Banten, Indonesia. Using an interpretative qualitative design, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed to explore how participants understood certification, reconstructed professional identity, enacted certified competencies, and negotiated organisational constraints. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews, supported by relevant institutional documents, and analysed idiographically before cross-participant patterns were developed. The findings revealed six interrelated themes: certification as professional recognition and reassessment; strengthened professional identity through heightened accountability; gradual enactment of certified competencies; a competence–practice gap shaped by organisational conditions; certification as conditional professional credibility; and professionalisation as an ongoing post-certification process. The study further refines a Certification-to-Practice Conversion Framework linking credential recognition, professional identity, capability enactment, organisational enablement or constraint, institutionalisation of routines, and accountable waqf practice. The findings indicate that certification should be understood as an institutional threshold rather than the endpoint of professionalisation. Structured post-certification support, including mentoring, practitioner networks, continuing training, technical assistance, and organisational development, is therefore essential for converting certified competence into sustainable and credible waqf governance.
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