Krismuha at Muhammadiyah Campuses Is Far From a Fringe Phenomenon

EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — The phenomenon known as Krismuha, short for Christian-Muhammadiyah, is far from marginal. Even at several Muhammadiyah-’Aisyiyah universities in the organization’s traditional stronghold, new students from non-Muslim backgrounds continue to enroll.

It is common for non-Muslim students to attend Muhammadiyah universities in Papua, Sorong, Maumere, Kupang and other areas where Muslims are a minority. In such places, Muhammadiyah campuses often become an option for students seeking access to higher education where alternatives may be limited.

The Krismuha phenomenon, however, is also evident at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY). In the 2026-2027 academic year, UMY recorded 56 new students from non-Muslim backgrounds. More than 75 percent of its incoming students also come from families without a Muhammadiyah background.

“There are even 56 non-Muslim students among our new students, including Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, and Hindus. We do not encourage them to change their religion. But they need to understand Islam as a religion. They should know that Islam is rahmatan lil alamin,” UMY Rector Nurmandi said on the sidelines of UMY’s MATAR 2026.

Similarly, ‘Aisyiyah University (UNISA) Yogyakarta and Ahmad Dahlan University (UAD) have also attracted students from outside the Muslim community. This trend is increasingly associated with the Krismuha phenomenon.

According to a report received by muhammadiyah.or.id, UNISA Yogyakarta admitted 78 non-Muslim students for the 2026-2027 academic year, including students from Hindu, Catholic, and Christian backgrounds. The number of new students at the university, which is managed through a modern educational approach centered on the advancement of women, has also increased.

UAD has seen a similar trend. Of its new students for the 2026-2027 academic year, 35 are non-Muslims from Christian, Catholic, and Hindu families. The number is expected to rise, as the university was still accepting applications when this article was published.

Most PTMA Students Do Not Come From Muhammadiyah Families

The issue is not simply about numbers. It is about whether students from different backgrounds feel comfortable studying at Muhammadiyah campuses. It also reflects the reality that Krismuha is not a fringe phenomenon. Even in Yogyakarta, the center of Muhammadiyah, its universities continue to attract students despite the many non-Muhammadiyah institutions alternatives.

Muhammadiyah currently manages 165 Muhammadiyah-‘Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions (PTMA) across Indonesia, as well as one in Malaysia, Universitas Muhammadiyah Malaysia (UMAM), which was established in the state of Perlis.

These hundreds of higher-education institutions are designed to be inclusive. They are not intended only for Muhammadiyah members or Muslims, but for all Indonesians, reflecting the vision of Muhammadiyah’s founders.

This inclusive approach gives all Indonesians an equal opportunity to pursue higher education. Anyone seeking personal growth and intellectual enlightenment is welcomed at Muhammadiyah campuses, wherever they are located.

The picture became particularly clear when Ismail Fahmi, deputy secretary of the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Council for Publication and Information (MPI), spoke to new students at Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta (UMS) and Muhammadiyah University of Malang (UMM).

Before thousands of new students at UMS and UMM, Fahmi asked about their family backgrounds. Based on the students’ responses, he concluded that those from Muhammadiyah families were far fewer than those from Nahdlatul Ulama, or NU, families.

Judging from the enthusiastic response of the students, Fahmi estimated that about 60 percent of UMS’s new students came from NU families. At UMM, he estimated that as many as 90 percent of new students came from NU families.