Prof. Dr. Agussani, M.AP., Chairman of the UMSU Board of Trustees (BPH) and Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 2027 Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Congress, together with UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd., welcomed a courtesy visit from the North Sumatra Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BPD PHRI) on Monday (May 25) at the VIP Room of UMSU’s main campus on Muchtar Basri Street No. 3, Medan.
During the meeting, the North Sumatra PHRI reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the 2027 Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Congress, particularly in the areas of hospitality, education, tourism, and creative economy development.
Melkhy Maydiroy Waas, Chairman of the North Sumatra PHRI, stated that North Sumatra, particularly Medan, has sufficient accommodation capacity to host the congress participants. The city currently offers approximately 10,000 hotel rooms, ranging from budget to star-rated hotels.
According to him, the congress is not only a major religious and organizational gathering but also an important opportunity to stimulate the regional creative economy.
“Major events like this create valuable opportunities and generate new ideas that help drive the growth of the creative economy,” he said.
He added that North Sumatra is honored to have been selected as the host province and views the responsibility as both a privilege and a challenge. PHRI is therefore fully committed to collaborating with the organizing committee to ensure the success of the event.
“We are ready to collaborate and provide our full support for the 2027 Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Congress,” he affirmed.
Earlier, Prof. Dr. Agussani, Chairman of the UMSU Board of Trustees and Chair of the Congress Organizing Committee, explained that the congress will be centered in Medan City and Deli Serdang Regency. He noted that the Medan City Government has expressed its full support by making public venues and facilities available throughout the event.
“The Mayor has encouraged us to make full use of every available venue and public space across Medan,” he said.
The opening ceremony is planned to be held either at the North Sumatra Main Stadium or Teladan Stadium in Medan. The 2027 Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Congress is expected to attract approximately 700,000 participants, making it one of the largest gatherings in the organization’s history.
“This congress will be extraordinary. The attention of not only Muhammadiyah members but also the wider public will be focused on Medan and North Sumatra,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd., who also serves on the congress organizing committee, emphasized the importance of building a long-term partnership that extends beyond the event itself.
He explained that UMSU aims to expand collaboration with PHRI in education, research, and community engagement through the university’s Tri Dharma of Higher Education. As part of this initiative, he introduced the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program as a potential area for future cooperation.
“While the congress is our immediate priority, our long-term vision is to establish sustainable collaboration in education and the Tri Dharma of Higher Education,” he said.
The Rector also expressed hope that the congress would become a catalyst for promoting North Sumatra’s tourism industry by offering travel packages for delegates and visitors attending the event.
“We are also planning to organize an exhibition during the congress, and we are particularly interested in featuring a coffee expo that showcases North Sumatra’s unique coffee heritage,” he added.
To ensure sustainable cooperation, both parties expressed their intention to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the near future.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Mutholib, M.M., Secretary of the UMSU Board of Trustees; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Qorib, M.A., Senior Advisor; Dr. H. Mujahiddin, S.Sos., M.SP.; Dr. Muhammad Thariq, S.Sos., M.I.Kom.; several UMSU bureau heads, as well as representatives of the hospitality industry, including General Manager Sarmad and Sales Executive Hasan Basri from Santika Dyandra Hotel & Convention Medan.
