Jakarta-UHAMKA Rector, Prof.. Dr. Suyatno, M. Pd, along with 10 other executives of Muhammadiyah universities had conducted visit to EUROPE in order to establish cooperation between Muhammadiyah universities and universities in EUROPE. Beside UHAMKA, other Muhammaidyah universities were UM Bengkulu, UM Purwokerto, UM Kupang, UM Makasar, UM Pare-Pare, UAD, UM Luwuk, UM Palu, STIKES Muhammadiyah Bulu Kumba, and STKIP Panakukang. The visit was held on 31 May to 5 June 2011.
On 1-2 June 2011, PTM delegation was greeted by RI Education Attaché for the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Yul. Y. Nazarudin also taking part as LO to connect PTM to universities in Germany. On June 1, 2011, the delegation was taken to the Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany by the Educational Affairs Attaché.
At Goether University, the delegation was welcomed by the Director of the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, Prof. Dr. Arndt Graf. In this occasion, Prof. Dr. Suyatno, as chairman of the delegation, expressed the intention of PTM rectors to establish cooperation with the Goethe University in order to improve quality of the students and lecturers through advanced study programs and student exchanges, research and scientific publications.
Prof. Dr. Graphs Arndt welcomed PTM rector intention and hope PTM immediately to follow up with real programs. Responding to an invitation from Prof. Graf, UHAMKA had planned the program. Among them, committee of language and culture international seminar had been appointed to attend experts on language and culture from Goethe University, particularly from the Department of Southeast Asian Studies. This Department of Culture owned experts in Indonesian language and culture, Malay and other Asian languages as well as experts in other human sciences.
The seminar was planned in September 2011. On September 2011 would also be scheduled of the signing Memorendum of Understanding (MoU) between Goethe University, UHAMKA and other 10 PTMs.
Next the delegation visited one of Fachochschule Koln-Gummersbach, or Koln University of Applied Sciences in Koln Germany. At the Koln University of Applied Sciences, the delegation was greeted by prof. Dr. Horst Stenzel (Expert of Information and Computer Graphics), Mr. Patrick Taussaint, Director for International Affairs, and Prof.. Dr. Matin Behr, Professor of Business.
On this occasion, Koln University of Applied Science had presented department programs such as: Engineering, Information Science, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Culture, Media, and Business.
Based on the report from Director of International Office, Mr. Patrick, Koln University of Applied Sciences had never established any cooperation with the Private University in Indonesia, and this was the first welcoming a visit from Muhammadiyah University. This good opportunity and chance would be taken by UHAMKA and other PTM, especially in developing lecturers for further studies in Germany.
The next day, 3-4 June, the delegation visited Netherlands. On June 3, 2011, the delegation was welcome by the Education Attaché of Republic of Indonesia for the Netherlands in Den Haag, Dr. Ramon Mohandas. In this occasion, dialogue on various further study issues and scholarships for students and lecturers in the Netherlands was conducted.
Due to long holiday on 3-4 June 2011 in the Netherlands, then the delegation could not visit Leden University and Study Centre of Indonesia, which had previously been scheduled. The delegation then held meeting with executives of Muhammadiyah Den Haag International Branch. The meeting was held at Mosque Al-Hikmah. The mosque was originally an unused church, later purchased by Mr. Probo Sutedjo and assigned to the Embassy of Indonesia in Den Haag.
From the dialogue between the Rectors, Dr. Ramon and several students who were studying in the Netherlands could be concluded (1) there were still many opportunities for cooperation between the PTM and PT in the Netherlands (although the Dutch government had reduced the budget of scholarships for foreigners because of the crisis), (2) it was recommended to the PTM to map study programs which were best as a center of excellence that could be in cooperation with PT's in the Netherlands. Then, facilitated by Dr. Ramon and PTM Students Studying in the Netherlands were to be communicated with the Dutch universities, and (3) PTM particularly 10 Muhammadiyah Universities were to form the Office for International Affairs / International Offices which were functioned to address issues of foreign students and further study and promote the universities for internalization, and UHAMKA was appointed as committee to hold Office of International Affairs workshop in July 2011. (Www.uhamka.ac.id)