Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) was officially received by the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt during a courtesy visit in Cairo on Monday (July 28), as part of its internationalization program.
The UMSU delegation, led by Rector Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP and represented by Vice Rector III Dr. Rudianto, M.Si, was accompanied by several faculty deans and institutional leaders. They were warmly welcomed by Ambassador Lutfi Rauf, a senior diplomat with over 40 years of service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including four years in Egypt, alongside the Education and Cultural Attaché, Dr. Abdul Muta’ali.
This visit, which also included representatives of Muhammadiyah’s North Sumatra leadership (PWM Sumut), was part of an eight-day international agenda that featured academic collaboration initiatives in Egypt and Turkey. The program included the signing of agreements between UMSU and several universities in both countries.
In addition to educational cooperation, UMSU and PWM Sumut also held in-depth discussions with leaders of Muhammadiyah Special Branches (PCIM) in Egypt and Turkey, focusing on the development of Muhammadiyah’s global presence across 30 regions worldwide—a mandate decided during the 48th Muhammadiyah Congress in Surakarta.
Ambassador Lutfi Rauf expressed his appreciation for the visit:
“I am deeply honored by this visit. I truly understand Muhammadiyah’s important role, alongside the government, in building a better national life. Muhammadiyah plays a highly strategic role in strengthening international engagement,” he said.
He also encouraged stronger academic partnerships with leading Egyptian universities such as Al-Azhar, particularly in the field of medicine, while highlighting the significance of nurturing Indonesia–Egypt relations.
“There are currently around 20,000 Indonesian students in Egypt—a remarkable number. Maintaining strong ties between our two nations is crucial. I hope UMSU’s visit will help strengthen the quality of academic resources and international collaboration,” added the Ambassador.
Vice Rector III, Dr. Rudianto, expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and outlined UMSU’s progress as an institution accredited with the highest national recognition (Excellent) and now preparing for international accreditation.
“This visit is also part of UMSU’s efforts to explore international collaboration with major universities in Egypt, particularly in the field of medicine. With nine faculties and 48 study programs—13 of which have already achieved Excellent accreditation—UMSU continues to expand its global engagement. Currently, UMSU serves over 21,000 students, including a significant number of international students from diverse countries,” he explained.
Dr. Rudianto also noted that Egypt is set to become one of UMSU’s destinations for international internships, community service programs, and collaborative research, following similar initiatives in Southeast Asia, Saudi Arabia, and other regions.
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Hasyimsyah Nasution, MA, Chairman of Muhammadiyah North Sumatra, commended the Ambassador’s strong support for Palestine, acknowledging Egypt’s strategic role as the closest access point to Gaza through Rafah.
“Through LazisMu and MDMC, Muhammadiyah continues to support the Palestinian struggle by sending food and humanitarian aid. We hope this partnership can be further strengthened with the support of the Indonesian Embassy in Egypt,” he said.
Prof. Hasyimsyah also emphasized Egypt’s profound influence on Islamic scholarship in Indonesia, as many Egyptian alumni have become key figures in shaping Indonesia’s religious and intellectual landscape, including within Muhammadiyah.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of tokens of appreciation between the delegation and the Ambassador.
The Muhammadiyah and UMSU delegation was led by Prof. Dr. Hasyimsyah Nasution and Vice Rector III Dr. Rudianto, accompanied by PWM leaders including Prof. Dr. Kamal Basri Siregar, Prof. Dr. Ali Imran, Dr. Sulidar, Mahmud Yunus Daulay, Mario Kasduri, Dr. Hasrat Effendi Samosir, and secretariat representatives Irwan Syahputra and Mutholib MM, along with treasurer Dr. Muhammad Qorib.
From UMSU, the delegation included faculty deans Dr. Faisal (Law), Dr. Januri (Economics & Business), Dr. Arifin Saleh Siregar (Social & Political Sciences), Dr. Munawar Alfansuri (Engineering), Dr. Muhammad Qorib (Islamic Studies), and Head of UMSU’s Observatory OIF, Dr. Arwin Juli Rahmadi Butar-butar, MA, as well as the International Cooperation Office team, Muhammad Shareza Hafiz and Muhammad Rafii.
