PP Muhammadiyah Entrusts Major Mandate, Urges UMSU to Become Beacon of Civilization
MEDAN – The Central Board of Muhammadiyah (PP Muhammadiyah) has officially entrusted a strategic mandate to the Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU), urging the institution to continue strengthening its role as a leading beacon of civilization in Indonesia and on the global stage.
The message was delivered by PP Muhammadiyah representative Agung Danarto during an official inauguration ceremony in Medan, where UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd., sworn in a total of new academic and structural administrative leaders, including deans, vice deans, study program heads, and bureau chiefs.
"As one of the world's finest Islamic universities, UMSU serves as Muhammadiyah’s center of excellence in Indonesia. We must continuously push it to become an outstanding and primary beacon of civilization," stated Agung Danarto during his address.
Agung emphasized that UMSU’s ongoing development must remain anchored to three primary pillars: the Islamic message (risalah Islam), the community (umat and jamaah), and organizational governance (jam'iyah).
He reminded the newly appointed officials that leadership within Muhammadiyah higher education institutions is not merely a title, but a sacred trust and a form of jihad aimed at serving society and establishing a true Islamic community based on pure monotheism (tauhid).
Meanwhile, UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd., explained that the inauguration covered both academic and administrative structural roles. Notably, UMSU has expanded its administrative bureau network from six to eleven bureaus.
Prof. Akrim highlighted that this structural reform serves as a new operational model to bolster inter-departmental coordination, elevate institutional governance, and meet the growing demand for higher-quality academic and administrative services.
To provide broader perspective on UMSU's current trajectory and regional impact, here are several key additional highlights regarding the university's development:
UMSU's push to become a beacon of civilization is backed by aggressive international outreach. The university recently hosted major international forums, including the Next-D 2026 International Conference, which brought together over 200 experts from across the globe to discuss digital transformation, ethical AI implementation, and regional economic opportunities.
Demonstrating its expanding influence in Southeast Asia, UMSU also served as the host venue for the investiture of the Chancellor of Universiti Muhammadiyah Malaysia (UMAM), attended by prominent regional figures including the Raja Muda of Perlis. This collaboration highlights UMSU's pivotal role in cross-border Islamic higher education initiatives.
Alongside structural expansion, UMSU continues to drive grassroots empowerment in North Sumatra. The university has recently partnered with over 100 local MSMEs (UMKM) to accelerate digital business transformation, aligning its academic capacity with tangible socio-economic development across the province.
