EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, JAKARTA – Muhammadiyah received an award from Iqraa Arabia during the Saudi Education Expo 2026, recognizing its collaboration with the organization in developing Arabic language education.
Iqraa Arabia presented the award to Muhammadiyah Central Board Treasurer Hilman Latief at the closing ceremony of Saudi Education Expo 2026, held at the SMESCO Convention & Exhibition Hall in Jakarta on Sunday (2/8).
On the same occasion, Hilman also presented awards to outstanding teachers who successfully completed a month-long online Arabic language training program.
The participants with the highest scores were subsequently appointed as Arabic Language Ambassadors at their respective Islamic boarding schools.
Hilman said he hoped the appointment of the Arabic Language Ambassadors would serve as a strategic step toward improving the quality of Arabic language education at Muhammadiyah boarding schools.
“The appointment of Arabic Language Ambassadors is a strategic step in strengthening the quality of Arabic language education at Muhammadiyah boarding schools. They can also become drivers of improved Arabic proficiency while developing more effective and impactful teaching methods for students,” Hilman said.
Expanding the Two Organization’s Educational Cooperation
According to Hilman, educational cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia should continue to expand across various fields. Muhammadiyah, he said, is committed to broadening the relationship beyond Islamic education to include social affairs, culture, science, technology, digital development, and artificial intelligence (AI).
“We are hoping to strengthen educational cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia across various fields. Muhammadiyah, in particular, wants to broaden this relationship into areas such as social affairs, culture, science and technology, digital development, AI, and others,” Hilman explained.
He emphasized that strengthening Arabic language skills is one concrete step toward opening wider opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. Language proficiency, he said, serves as a key gateway to communication and collaboration across fields.
“Strengthening language skills is one concrete step toward developing future cooperation and preparing human resources that can help strengthen this partnership. Language is the gateway.”
The Arabic-language training program was a collaboration between Iqraa Arabia and the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Pesantren Development Institute (LP2). In recognition of their ongoing partnership, LP2 also received an award by Iqraa Arabia, accepted by Ustaz Fathu Rabbani, Lc.
Hilman also expressed appreciation for the support provided to Muhammadiyah boarding schools and madrasas through the program. He hoped the partnership would continue to improve human resource quality in the future.
“We appreciate the support given to Muhammadiyah boarding schools and madrasas. God willing, we are also committed to strengthening our future contribution to human resource development through cooperation with institutions in Saudi Arabia, particularly Iqraa Arabia,” he said.
Expanding Cooperation Through Teacher Training
The partnership between the two institutions will not end with the training program. Moving forward, Iqraa Arabia and LP2 Muhammadiyah plan to continue their collaboration through daurah amaliyah tadris, or practical teaching training, as an advanced program for participants.
There are also opportunities for Muhammadiyah boarding schools to take part in Arabic-language learning programs directly in Makkah.
Through this continued collaboration, Muhammadiyah and Iqraa Arabia hope to produce more professional Arabic-language educators while expanding the international education networks of Muhammadiyah boarding schools. The organization expected the partnership to contribute to improving the quality of Islamic education in Indonesia. (Taufik)
