The Public Relations Role of Muhammadiyah Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs) needs to transform the stigma by creating a clear narrative and positioning. That was a statement of Prof Widodo Muktiyo when open the Workshop on Public Relation Development of MHEIs. This three-day workshop collaborated with the Communication Science Association (APIK) in Cavinton Hotel, Yogyakarta, Thursday-Sunday (30-03/07). Public relations needs to be a fighter in the communication system, especially when the Public Relations (PR of MHEIs should own Islamic and Muhammadiyah values (AIK). “AIK becomes our asset as a PR. So we need to believe what we create can be oxygen to MHEIs,” he said, in front of 55 participants.

The Member of the Muhammadiyah Council for Higher Education, Research, and Development (CHERD) admitted that PR should develop a good communication system and consolidate each University’s strengths. “Never assume PR as an outcast career, because the challenges and knowledge of a PR are harder than in marketing,” he said. In his material that raised the theme “Public Relations Transformation of MHEIs in the Digital Era”, he mentioned that PR should be dauntless to change and transform. Currently, it is in the information era that could become a strength of PR, so the PR requires to understand the informational frequency in the digital era, and not only as the users.

Muhammad Himmawan Sutanto, M.Si, the Chairman of APIK explained the workshop as an attempt from CHERD to deepen the public relations knowledge of MHEIs’ PR. “Muhammadiyah lecturers should be motivators, so the PR needs to develop MHEIs’ dynamics,” he said. He admitted that professional and excellent PR management was needed. The workshop will be organized for three days and deepen the role of PR from the cognitive and cooperative conditions. “The participants are not only to receive the materials, but also to directly create the news or press release, and many others,” he concluded.