Universiti Muhammadiyah Malaysia (UMAM) held a meeting with Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) on Tuesday, 8 October 2024 to discuss potential collaboration and further study opportunities for UMS students at UMAM. Prof. Supriyono (Vice Rector V of UMS) stated that the educational revolution at UMAM could attract UMS students to continue their studies there. The establishment of a Muhammadiyah campus abroad, such as UMAM, is a strategic move for promoting the Muhammadiyah mission with the tagline “Islam Berkemajuan” (Progressive Islam).
Prof. Waluyo, Vice Chancellor of UMAM, added that UMAM is one of the Indonesian universities operating overseas. UMAM offers nine Ph.D. programs and several undergraduate programs, such as a Bachelor in Networking, a Bachelor in Software Engineering, A Bachelor in Artificial Intelligence and many others. Admissions are conducted online, and the primary goal is to prepare graduates who are ready to contribute to the workforce, especially in the Industrial Era 4.0 heading towards 5.0.
Prof. Ir. Dr. Shah Nor from UMAM provided a detailed presentation on UMAM, including its history and location of UMAM that is in Perlis, Malaysia, near the border with Thailand. The decision to establish UMAM in Perlis was due to its alignment with Muhammadiyah’s ideology and the full support received there, as opposed to Johor, where initial plans faced resistance. He also explained the composition of UMAM’s human resources, consisting of professors, lecturers, associate professors, and senior lecturers. UMAM offers various Ph.D. programs, such as Ph.D. in Social Science, Islamic Studies, Business Management, Information Technology, Architecture, Service Design, and Computational Science Engineering.
During the Q&A session, attendees inquired about accreditation and tuition fees at UMAM. Prof. Shah Nor explained that UMAM is accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and that its degrees can be officially recognized in Indonesia. Information regarding tuition fees is available on UMAM’s website, and dormitory fees are set at 250 ringgit per month for shared rooms.
UMAM is currently developing programs in Health Sciences and Pharmacy, with Ph.D. programs designed for a three-year completion.
To apply to UMAM, students must have a recognized Master’s degree and provide proof of English language proficiency, such as TOEFL IBT, IELTS, or MUET. The language of instruction and journal article submissions at UMAM is English, and no entrance examination is required. The Ph.D. program begins with full classes in the first semester, followed by research that can be conducted either in Malaysia or Indonesia.
UMAM has recruited students in two batches since last year. Most students at UMAM are from Indonesia, particularly from Muhammadiyah higher education institutions, who are studying under the PP Muhammadiyah scholarship scheme. The most popular faculties at UMAM include Business Management, Information Technology, Education, Social Science, and Islamic Studies.
