The Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye for Sumatra, Tun. Dr. H. Rahmat Shah, received a courtesy visit from the Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU), Prof. Dr. H. Agussani, MAP, at the Consulate Office in Medan on Thursday (July 31).
Rector Prof. Agussani was accompanied by Vice Rector II Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd., Head of the UMSU Center for Malay Cultural Studies (PKBM) Prof. Dr. Khairil Ansari, M.Pd., along with several faculty leaders and bureau heads. The visit was a return gesture following the Honorary Consul General’s earlier visit to UMSU. During the meeting, the Rector shared updates on UMSU’s development, particularly its internationalization initiatives.
It was conveyed that a UMSU delegation, led by Vice Rector III together with Muhammadiyah Regional Leaders of North Sumatra and several faculty representatives, was currently visiting Egypt and Türkiye to establish academic collaborations. A number of partnership agreements with universities in Egypt and Türkiye had already been signed, aimed at strengthening academic ties and fostering knowledge and experience exchange.
“We hope these collaborations will lead to joint scholarly works and long-term educational partnerships,” said the Rector.
During the meeting, the Honorary Consul General of Türkiye for Sumatra, Tun. Dr. H. Rahmat Shah, reaffirmed his commitment to building strong bonds with Indonesia. He recalled that during the Aceh tsunami, Türkiye was the first country to send aid to the disaster area, highlighting the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations.
He also emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing shared potential, while noting that at times, personal or institutional ego can hinder the realization of positive outcomes.
Furthermore, Dr. Rahmat Shah expressed his full support for UMSU’s internationalization agenda through partnerships with universities abroad.
“I sincerely hope UMSU’s delegation visit to Türkiye will produce tangible follow-ups for advancing education. I personally would have loved to accompany UMSU in meeting the Indonesian Embassy in Türkiye—my close friend there is a diplomat with an academic background—while also introducing UMSU to some of Türkiye’s leading universities,” he said.
