The State Islamic University (UIN) Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh conducted a courtesy visit and benchmarking session at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU). The visit took place on Monday (20/10) in the UMSU Meeting Room, Jalan Muchtar Basri No. 3, Medan.
The delegation from UIN Ar-Raniry was welcomed by UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP, represented by Vice Rector III, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rudianto, M.Si. During the visit, both institutions also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) covering collaboration in internationalization, international rankings, and higher education partnership management. The event was also integrated with an In-House Training and International Ranking Benchmarking session.
Head of the International Services Center (UPT PLI) of UIN Ar-Raniry, Prof. Dr. Phil. Saiful Akmal, MA, expressed his admiration and appreciation for UMSU’s enthusiasm, productivity, and effectiveness in managing internationalization and ranking programs.
“Alhamdulillah, I’ve seen so much. UMSU is very efficient and straight to the point. The energy and enthusiasm here are different. We came with a strong intention to learn, especially since our Rector has already approved our internationalization learning program,” Prof. Saiful said.
He added that UIN Ar-Raniry is committed to expanding its internationalization capacity in line with directives from the Ministry of Education and Culture as well as Bappenas, which has incorporated internationalization into the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).
“Our goal is to improve our international accreditation. UIN Ar-Raniry is one of the universities selected for the internationalization project. We want to learn from UMSU, especially regarding international rankings,” he explained.
Prof. Saiful emphasized that the collaboration should not stop with the signing of the MoU and MoA, but should continue through sustainable programs.
“We truly appreciate UMSU’s warm welcome, and we hope this partnership continues. We look forward to concrete collaboration, especially in accreditation and the development of the Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) program,” he concluded.
Earlier, UMSU Vice Rector III Dr. Rudianto introduced UMSU and its international programs. He highlighted the importance of collaboration and experience-sharing among universities to strengthen global competitiveness.
“Thank you for visiting us in Medan, Professor. As a younger institution, we also need guidance and insight. There is so much we can discuss and learn from one another,” he said.
He presented UMSU’s Integrated Campus concept and shared the university’s journey in achieving various international recognitions.
“In 2021, we began participating in the QS Rating, and by 2022, we received the results. Nowadays, people look closely at rankings, so maintaining our presence in international rankings is crucial,” he explained.
He added that one of the key strategies supporting accreditation and international rankings is ensuring the accuracy and consistency of data, including through the official website and campus information systems.
He further noted that in the past two years, UMSU has also participated in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings and achieved strong results in several indicators. Most recently, four UMSU study programs received FIBAA accreditation from Germany.
“We also run various international programs and encourage the use of international languages in all activities. We frequently visit other countries to build international networks, and as a result, many universities and international institutions also visit us,” he said.
The Vice Rector emphasized that UMSU continues to enhance internationalization through various initiatives, including supporting students in the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) and improving English proficiency.
“In truth, we still have much to learn, as we are still progressing step by step. But we have taken bold steps toward internationalization, and alhamdulillah, international communication is now becoming easier,” he added.
Also present were OIC UMSU Chair Rafieqah Nalar Rizky, M.A., along with the committee, Dean of FKIP UMSU Dra. Hj. Syamsuyurnita, M.Pd, Vice Dean I FKIP Dr. Dewi Kesuma Nasution, M.Hum, BIPA Program Head Dr. Cut Novita Srikandi, S.S., M.Hum, and the delegation from UIN Ar-Raniry.
The visit concluded with a photo session and a follow-up discussion as part of UIN Ar-Raniry’s benchmarking activities.
