Surakarta, February 19, 2025 – Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) successfully held a sharing session on the opportunities for implementing Tri Dharma of Higher Education cooperation in Saudi Arabia. The event took place at 09.00 AM in the Rectorate Meeting Room of UMS, featuring Prof. Dr. Muhammad Irfan Helmy, Lc., M.A., the Education and Cultural Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the main speaker.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Supriyono, Ph.D. (Vice Rector for Collaboration and International Affairs), emphasized the potential for UMS to establish academic and non-academic collaborations with Saudi Arabia. He expressed his hope that this session would serve as a bridge for UMS to explore cooperative opportunities in implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia.
Prof. Irfan elaborated on his main missions as an attaché, which include negotiation, diplomacy, promotion, cooperation, and recommendations for the benefit of Indonesia, particularly in the fields of education and culture.
Saudi Arabia is actively shifting its economic focus away from oil dependency as part of its Vision 2030 initiative. Recognizing that oil reserves are finite, the Saudi government is opening new economic opportunities, including investments in education and religious activities. This shift presents a golden opportunity for Indonesian students to pursue higher education in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi universities offer study programs at various levels, including Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees that can be accessed through https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/. The Education and Cultural Attaché introduced several prestigious universities in Saudi Arabia and discussed the current distribution of Indonesian students across these institutions. Additionally, the Indonesian Embassy aims to increase the number of Indonesian students in non-mainstream Saudi universities, where the presence of Indonesian students remains low.
The Indonesian Embassy and Consulate General in Saudi Arabia is committed to assisting Indonesian universities in connecting with potential partners in Saudi Arabia, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration.
To establish effective cooperation, a reciprocity system is encouraged. For example, Indonesian universities are expected to accept alumni from Indonesian Schools Abroad (SILN) under specific regulations. Notable examples include Universitas Indonesia (UI) admitting SILN alumni into its Arabic Literature program at the Faculty of Cultural and Sciences (FIB) and Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNESA) offering hybrid master’s programs for SILN graduates.
Saudi Arabia also welcomes international researchers to collaborate with its research institutions. Indonesian academics can engage in joint research projects through platforms such as CRIK (https://crik.sa/). Co-authorship opportunities for academic papers are also available, and the Education and Cultural Attaché will facilitate networking between Indonesian and Saudi researchers.
Scientific Publication Development Office (LPPI) added that International research and community service programs (KKN) with foreign partners carry significant weight in university accreditation, making International KKN programs in Saudi Arabia a noteworthy opportunity.
The session also highlighted the possibility of implementing student or staff exchange programs with Saudi Arabia. A potential initiative involves assigning Saudi Sheikhs as lecturers or guest speakers in Indonesian universities.
The Faculty members at UMS also inquired about the feasibility of credit transfer programs to Saudi universities, allowing Indonesian students to strengthen their Arabic language proficiency. Another point of discussion was the potential for UMS alumni to build professional networks and secure employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
This sharing session concluded with a strong commitment from both UMS and the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh to actively pursue collaborative initiatives that will benefit both Indonesian and Saudi academic communities.