In the world of science, the institutions of education have become the foundation of educators to teach science for the next generation. Pesantren (Islamic boarding school) is the oldest traditional educational institutions, which still exists in Indonesia until now. It is in this institution in which islamic scholars transform Islamic knowledge to society. Globalization has influenced the world of edu-cation, wherever it comes from, including pesantren.This paper discusses the role of boarding schools in educating students so that they not only able to face the challenges of globalization, but also guard their identity as islamic students (santri), in three main discussion: first, how the existence, essence and role of the boarding school ...