From the National Congress, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Barat (UM Sumbar) expected that they would learn from the meeting of the Office for International Affairs Association (ASKUI) MHEIs. “We also hoped that we can accelerate from the second cluster of MHEIs to the first cluster, and can learn from various participants in the congress,” said Dr Riki Saputra, the Rector of UM Sumbar, in the Novotel Hotel, Bukit Tinggi on Thursday (20/01). Prof Edy Suandi Hamid opened the meeting online. On the previous night, the Rector and all participants led by the Chairman of ASKUI, Yordan Gunawan SH MH MBA, were accepted to have dinner with Bukit Tinggi Mayor, Erman Syafar.

On this occasion, the Rector of UM Sumbar showed his gratitude to get trust for conducting the huge event. “I am so grateful that UM Sumbar has an opportunity to be the host for this meeting. I hope we can create a good synergy for a better improvement here. Especially, there is ASKUI board from West Sumatera,” he said.

In the remarks, Prof Edy expected that ASKUI could be a professional and disciplined place to widen members’ international collaboration. Through ASKUI, all MHEIs in small-sized, medium, and large-sized institutions were expected to have strong bargaining power in international cooperation with foreign universities.

“Related to the congress, I hope ASKUI can arrange programs that are realistic and fulfil the member’s need, both in the short term and medium term. However, the most important circumstance is how all programs can be implemented,” said Prof Edy Suandi Hamid.

He added that the Covid-19 pandemic could not stop global collaboration planning. “Various MHEIs can be more aggressive to collaborate internationally. It can be in an online program, including student exchange and public lecture among lecturers,” said the Deputy Chair of CHERD.