The Association of Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Higher Education Publishers (APPTIMA) held its 3rd National Conference (Munas III), which was officially opened at the Auditorium of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) on Friday (January 16).
The opening ceremony was marked by the traditional beating of the tagading drum by the Deputy Secretary of the Higher Education, Research, and Development Council of the Muhammadiyah Central Board, Moh. Mudzakkir, S.Sos., M.A., Ph.D., accompanied by UMSU Vice Rector I Prof. Dr. Muhammad Arifin, M.Hum, APPTIMA Chairperson Budi Nugroho, S.I.P., and Aksara Maya CEO Sulasmo Sudarno. The event was attended by representatives of publishers from 33 Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions (PTMA) across Indonesia.
The conference was held over three days, from Thursday to Saturday, January 15–17, 2026, with the main plenary sessions taking place in Parapat, North Sumatra.
The event was officially opened by Moh. Mudzakkir, who emphasized that publishing has been an integral part of Muhammadiyah’s DNA since its establishment.
“In the Muhammadiyah tradition, publishing is a vital pillar. From the very beginning, Muhammadiyah already had a publishing division. This reflects how literacy has always been the foundation of the movement,” he explained.
He further stressed that PTMA publishers bear a strategic responsibility in documenting and disseminating knowledge as well as preserving Muhammadiyah’s history.
“Through APPTIMA, we hope to foster collaboration, share best practices, and produce policy recommendations that can enhance the competitiveness of PTMA publishing,” Mudzakkir concluded.
Meanwhile, UMSU Vice Rector I Prof. Dr. Muhammad Arifin, M.Hum, in his welcoming remarks, stated that UMSU remains committed to strengthening academic publishing as part of the university’s Tri Dharma of higher education.
“Publishing is not only about producing printed books, but also about responding to developments in e-books and e-journals so that knowledge can be accessed more widely,” he said.
He also highlighted the achievements of UMSU Press, which had published approximately 200 book titles by 2025. “This is a source of pride for us. However, moving forward, publishing must be managed more professionally and be more adaptive to the demands of the times,” he added.
APPTIMA Chairperson Budi Nugroho, S.I.P., emphasized APPTIMA’s strategic role in strengthening the national literacy movement within PTMA institutions.
“The national literacy movement through APPTIMA is remarkable. Publishing in Muhammadiyah higher education institutions is not merely about books, but part of an intellectual endeavor and the organization’s mission of dakwah,” he asserted.
According to him, the APPTIMA National Conference serves as a forum for consolidation as well as organizational regeneration to remain adaptive to current developments, particularly in the digitalization of publishing.
Previously, the Chair of the 3rd National Conference Organizing Committee and Head of UMSU Press and Library, Dr. Muhammad Arifin, M.Pd., reported that the conference was a mandate from the previous APPTIMA National Conference held at Universitas Ahmad Dahlan in 2022.
“This third National Conference is a mandate entrusted to us since the second conference at UAD in 2022. Alhamdulillah, despite some scheduling adjustments, the event has been successfully conducted at UMSU,” he stated.
As the host institution, he expressed his appreciation for the attendance of APPTIMA members from across Indonesia and hoped that the 3rd APPTIMA National Conference at UMSU and in Parapat would run smoothly.
