The Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye for Sumatra Island, Tun Dr. H. Rahmat Shah, expressed full support for Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU)’s internationalization efforts through partnerships with various universities, as well as the successful organization of the Muhammadiyah Congress (Muktamar) 2027.
This statement was made during his visit to the UMSU Integrated Campus, which will also serve as the venue for the Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah Muktamar 2027 in Sampali Village, Percut Sei Tuan Sub-district, Deliserdang Regency, on Monday (May 5).
During the visit, Rahmat Shah directly observed the progress of construction for the 2027 Muktamar venue, which is currently undergoing intensive development.
“We pray for and support the smooth progress of UMSU’s integrated campus development and the Muktamar venue,” said Rahmat Shah, who also serves as the Chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).
He also revealed that he has facilitated partnerships between UMSU and several universities in Türkiye.
“As the Honorary Consul of Türkiye, I have recently connected UMSU with several universities in Türkiye. God willing, we are also working to attract more Turkish universities to collaborate, so that the grand vision of a comprehensive and successful Muhammadiyah Muktamar in North Sumatra can be realized,” he added.
He noted that several Turkish universities had already visited UMSU as part of a collaboration exploration during the Turkish University Fair 2025 held on Friday (May 2).
“UMSU has signed MoUs with three Turkish universities, and those universities have visited UMSU. This is a major step forward. We will continue to support and promote this collaboration with Türkiye,” he stated.
Interestingly, the owner of Siantar Zoo also proposed a fresh idea for campus development—establishing a mini zoo as an educational facility.
“Perhaps there should be a mini zoo. It would be great for children and educational purposes in animal science,” he suggested.
He also praised the rapid progress of UMSU, particularly in the fields of education and research development.
“I’m impressed by UMSU’s progress. Perhaps later we can explore downstream palm oil processing here. My impression is that this is truly remarkable—UMSU is now well-equipped and offers world-class education. Our children no longer need to go abroad for quality education,” he said.
Meanwhile, UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP welcomed the Turkish Consul’s support and considered the visit a meaningful gesture of concern for education in North Sumatra.
“This visit is truly inspiring. We invited Tun Rahmat Shah, who has facilitated cooperation with Turkish universities, to see firsthand the great strides in education here in Sumatra,” said Prof. Agussani.
As the Rector of UMSU and Chair of the Muktamar Committee, he expressed optimism regarding the fast-paced development of the integrated campus for the Muktamar.
“The preparations have exceeded expectations—we’re working day and night. The progress has already surpassed our targets. God willing, it will be completed and finalized by February 2027. We’re also expecting 50 workers from Yogyakarta to accelerate the completion of the auditorium,” he explained.
He concluded by expressing high appreciation for Tun Rahmat Shah’s contributions.
“Tun Rahmat Shah’s presence is truly extraordinary and serves as a strong motivation for us to continue strengthening international relations in the future,” he said optimistically.
The visit concluded with a symbolic durian tree planting ceremony by Rahmat Shah, accompanied by UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP, and university leadership.
Also present were Vice Rector II Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd, Vice Rector III Dr. Rudianto, M.Si, deans from all UMSU faculties, prominent Malay figures such as Prof. Dr. Khairil Anshari, M.Pd, Dr. H. Azizul Kholis, SE, M.Si, M.Pd, CMA, CSRS, Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Djohar Arifin Husin, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) H. Muhammad Hasyim, Prof. H. Subhilhar, Ph.D., and religious leaders like Dr. K.H. Amiruddin, M.S., MA, and K.H. Zulfikar Hajar, Lc., among others.
