Muhammadiyah Council for Higher Education, Research, and Development (CHERD) reconducts National Meeting of Islamic and Muhammadiyah Studies (AIK) in Muhammadiyah-’Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs). Located in Bumi Surabaya City Resort, Monday-Wednesday (4-6/07), the National Meeting of AIK is organized in collaboration with UM Surabaya. The meeting was attended by 210 participants from 85 MHEIs, consisting of their Daily Advisory Board (BPH), Rector, Vice-Rector for AIK, and Chairman of AIK Institutions in Indonesia.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. dr. Sukadiono, MM was pleased to welcome all participants in the Hero City. “It is an honor for us to be appointed to host the National Meeting of AIK. It could be an opportunity for UM Surabaya to contribute to Muhammadiyah Foundation and InsyaAllah, it will bring blessings to our campus,” said the Rector of UM Surabaya.

Dr. dr. Sukadiono, MM, the Rector of UM Surabaya, delivered his remarks in front of Nat

The Chairman of CHERD, Prof Lincolin Arsyad, in his remarks, mentioned all MHEIs are supposed to educate AIK in similar ways. The AIK lecturers in each university also should follow the upgrading agenda due to the standardized AIK values to complete achievement indicators. “We expect that Rakornas AIK will produce policies and module improvements to the extensive knowledge of MHEIs,” he added.

Prof Lincolin also highlighted three main ways for AIK in MHEIs. First, it is necessary to improve the contents and materials in AIK subjects. “We need to upgrade our curriculum to follow the rapid development in this progressive civilization,” he continued. Second, AIK in all MHEIs has similar generality in demand for a parameterized module, especially in the eastern part of Indonesia and MHEIs with the non-Muslim majority of students. Third, AIK becomes characteristic and excellence of Muhammadiyah. “We also hope that MHEI graduates can understand and comprehend AIK well,” he concluded. [] CHERD