MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, SAUDI ARABIA – Muhammadiyah signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ‘Allimni Al-Arabiyah Foundation, Saudi Arabia to advance Arabic language education. The MoU signing was represented by the Chairperson of Muhammadiyah Irwan Akib in Riyadh on December 31, 2024.
Irwan Akib expressed his gratitude and mentioned that the collaboration is both strategic and innovative to develop the Arabic language education through a blended learning approach and Learning Management System (LMS).
The cooperation may enhance the academic quality of Ma’had of Muhammadiyah-’Aisyiyah higher education in Indonesia, including Ma’had Al-Birr of Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar designated as the pilot project.
It became the strategic path for Muhammadiyah, particularly the Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar, to build relations with international educational institutions in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the ‘Allimni Al-Arabiyah Foundation Syaikh Amin Bakhit Al-Zahrani praised Muhammadiyah for its commitment to sharing experiences in managing 163 Muhammadiyah-Aisyiyah higher education institutions in Indonesia. He expressed hope that this initiative would inspire other Muhammadiyah-’Aisyiyah higher education institutions to adopt similar programs and expand access to more students.
Besides, Deputy Director of Ma’had Al-Birr Dr. Muhammad Ali Bakri described the program as an ideal response to the needs of modern education. He highlighted several key features, including professional instructors from top Middle Eastern universities, an advanced curriculum, and innovative teaching methods.
“The program is supported by educators from renowned institutions in the Middle East,” Dr. Bakri noted.
He also emphasized the use of the textbook Al-Arabiyah Baina Yadaik, a trusted resource in many Islamic boarding schools and Muha across Indonesia.
The program offers modern, engaging, and effective methodologies adjusted to students’ needs. It incorporates digital tools, such as LMS-based applications, to provide flexible access and seamless integration with other learning resources.
