Muhammadiyah visits Monash
Monash University was pleased to welcome over 30 delegates from Muhammadiyah to our Clayton and Caulfield campuses on 15-16 February 2018 for a visit organised by the Office of Global Engagement, the Monash Indonesia Representative Office (MIRO), and the Faculty of Arts. With an estimated 50 million affiliates, Muhammadiyah is the second largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia and has strong connections in civil infrastructure, particularly in the areas of education and health. The moderate Islamic organisation comprises 171 universities and 500 medical clinics and hospitals. Ariel Heryanto, Herb Feith Professor for the Study of Indonesia, said “Muhammadiyah is one of the leading forces of modernisation in Indonesia".
The distinguished public lecture given by Dr Haedar Nashir, Chairman of Muhammadiyah, was the highlight of the visit and attended by over 120 guests from across Monash and the broader public. Dr Nashir spoke to the values of inclusivity and tolerance of Islam with progress in Indonesia (Islam Berkemajuan) which aims to highlight the principles of peace, justice, and prosperity, globally.
During the visit we signed an MOU to facilitate collaboration between Monash and Muhammadiyah’s numerous higher education and health institutions. This framework document will support reciprocal professional development, student and staff mobility, applied research exchange and training, leadership workshops, and sharing of knowledge and innovation.
Colleagues from the faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences offered an overview of the Faculty’s expertise and Professor John Carroll, Director of the Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) provided insight into the activities and priorities of BDI. Synergies were found in the areas of nursing, pre-hospital care, public health, and maternal and reproductive health. The delegation was particularly interested in research and graduate programs and pathways. The head of delegation also commented on the value of Monash’s critical thinking approach and its potential benefit for Muhammadiyah institutions.
Our new Learning and Teaching Building impressed the delegation and colleagues from Education continued discussions originated in Jakarta on the potential for collaboration on moderate Islamic education. Education showcased their activities, particularly in the areas of principal training, early childhood education and international programs in education and leadership.
Contact: Monash Indonesia Representative Office
Phone: +62 21 2939 2008
Email: miro@monash.edu