MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, MEDAN – Chairperson of Muhammadiyah Central Board, Muhadjir Effendy, praised Muhammadiyah University of North Sumatra (Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatra Utara/UMSU) for its steady transformation as the university marked its 69th anniversary.
Muhadjir delivered the remarks on Saturday, (28/2) during a public lecture held as part of UMSU’s anniversary celebration at its main campus in Medan. He said the institution has entered an early but important phase of becoming a world-class university.
According to Muhadjir, UMSU’s current standing reflects broader progress across Muhammadiyah’s higher education network.
He noted that a major acceleration occurred after the establishment of the Higher Education, Research, and Development Council of the Muhammadiyah Central Board once led by Djazman Al Kindi.
“The most encouraging period for Muhammadiyah-’Aisyiyah Universities (PTMA) was between the 1970s and 1980s,” he said. “At that time, building universities and opening new faculties was relatively easier.”
During those years, Muhammadiyah successfully expanded its campuses across Indonesia. Therefore, Muhadjir urged current leaders not to miss opportunities when conditions are favorable. Progress, he stressed, requires alertness and decisiveness.
From Regional Roots to National Prominence
Muhadjir also recalled a group of eight PTMA rectors from that era who worked tirelessly to advance the institutions. Their shared spirit, he said, could be summed up in one phrase: take it for life. That dedication, he argued, remains relevant today.
Founded in 1957, UMSU stands among the oldest PTMA. Muhadjir said its history deserves recognition not only within Muhammadiyah, but also in the broader narrative of Indonesian higher education.
“Alhamdulillah, UMSU is now among the top five Muhammadiyah universities,” he said. “It is the only one of that group located outside Java.”
UMSU Rector Agussani echoed that assessment. He explained that UMSU began as a branch of Muhammadiyah universities in West Sumatra and Jakarta, making it the second oldest PTMA after Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta.
Today, Agussani said, UMSU ranks alongside Muhammadiyah University of Malang, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, and Ahmad Dahlan University Yogyakarta as one of the network’s five largest institutions.
Translator: Bintang Adrian
