The Association of Muhammadiyah / Aisyiyah College of International Affairs Office (ASKUI PTMA) in Indonesia held a Workshop in the Hall of Postgraduate UMSU JL. Denai No. 217 Medan. 16-17 October 2018.
The activity which took the theme “Empowering Internationalization at PTM” was followed by 48 KUI PTMA. The workshop was opened by the Deputy Chairperson of the Diktilitbang PP Muhammadiyah Majlis Prof. Dr. H Edy Suandi Hamid, M.Ec.
In his remarks, the Chancellor of UMSU Dr. Agussani MAP represented by WR I Dr Arifin Gultom SH MHum said that facing competition in the era of Industrial Revolution 4.O today, universities are not only required to have an up-to-date information technology system, but also must have the ability to build a network of cooperation, both at the regional, national and international levels.
Arifin appreciated the Muhammadiyah PP Counseling Majlis, which had been so serious in initiating the PTMA internationalization program, one of the focuses of its activities was to encourage PTMA to proactively build cooperation with a number of foreign universities.
“We welcome the joy of organizing this event. “We welcome all participants to the campus of the North Sumatra Muhammadiyah University,” he said.
Arifin further emphasized the commitment of UMSU to fully support the internationalization of PTMA. He said, so far, even though it has not been advanced yet, what UMSU has done is not merely a discourse, but has been realized in the form of a real program, for example this year UMSU has sent a number of students to study while interning to Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and so.
“This year we also received a number of foreign students studying at UMSU,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his presentation, Deputy Chairperson of the Diktilitbang PP Muhammadiyah Prof.Dr. Edy Suandi Hamid Mec said that today world competition is as tight and open, where globalization is at the world level and regionalization is at the regional level.
“That shows that the world is increasingly borderless. So the internationalization of higher education has become a necessity because our country has signed the WTO Agreements, one of which is related to openness in education, “he said
Therefore, continued Edy, inevitably if you want to exist in a very competitive openness climate, universities must prepare themselves, including PTMA.
According to him, PTMA must strengthen, so that it is not only able to survive, but also able to go international. “Not only sending students to study outside, but also being able to invite people outside of college in PTM, of course, this requires serious and specific handlers. And that is the function of the existence of the KUI, “he said.
He further revealed that there were 5 fields which had become the work of the Majlisdikti of Research and Development of Muhammadiyah, where Quality Assurance and International Cooperation were the two busiest and most active fields. “So, I hope this two-day activity will produce clear and concrete conclusions that are the material for our program’s actions, both for KUI itself and for individual PTMAs,” he said.
Edy also revealed, that PTMA is very diverse and varied, even the deviation is sometimes very far away, there are PTMA that have been very advanced in internationalization programs, but some are still experiencing difficulties. “This is where the role of the Association of International Affairs Office of PTMA is to provide a stimulus, where those who have advanced need to be improved, those that have already been running need to be encouraged and those that certainly do not necessarily need to be grown,” he hoped.
Regarding the Internationalization of the PTMA program, the PP Muhammadiyah Director of Education and Technology did not want to be limited to making the MoU. according to Edy, the existence of KUI is needed not only to make cooperation, but also to create cooperation activities. Accreditation is an affirmation not in terms of international cooperation, but international cooperation activities. This means that each MoU must be followed up concretely in the form of real cooperation activities.
“This is a prerequisite for superior universities. It is not possible for a university in this republic to be accredited superior without international cooperation. So international cooperation is a success if you want to be a superior university, “Edy said.
Considering its important and strategic role in the context of internationalization of PTMA, Edy conveyed some advice to KUI, including KUI must be confident (confidence), pro active, innovative to make breakthroughs and smart to read and take advantage of the opportunities. forward, and the role of KUI in this matter is certainly very much needed, “. he concluded.
