Universitas Islam Malang (UNISMA) continues to expand its international network, this time by exploring a strategic partnership with educational institutions in Egypt. As part of this initiative, the university hosted a public lecture titled “Opportunities for Collaboration between UNISMA and Strategic Partners in Egypt to Enhance Students’ Global Competitiveness,” featuring the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt, Lutfi Rauf.
UNISMA Rector, Prof. Drs. Junaidi, Ph.D., expressed his appreciation for Ambassador Lutfi’s ongoing support in strengthening the university’s international partnerships. “He facilitated our collaboration with Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, and the partnership remains active to this day,” he noted. Currently, 14 students from the Thai university are participating in a summer program at UNISMA.
Prof. Junaidi also revealed that UNISMA is in the final stages of formalizing a new partnership with the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Terrorism, an institution under Al-Azhar that focuses on deradicalization issues. “The MoU draft has been completed. We are now scheduling the signing. The procedures are not as simple as in Indonesia, but this is a significant step forward for UNISMA,” he explained.
In his presentation, Ambassador Lutfi highlighted the long-standing diplomatic relationship between Indonesia and Egypt. Historically, Egypt was the first Arab country to openly broadcast Indonesia’s independence to the world. This strong bond extends beyond politics into the social, cultural, and educational spheres.
He also underscored Egypt’s vast potential as a study destination for Indonesian students. Currently, around 20,000 Indonesian students are pursuing higher education across various Egyptian universities. Notably, their academic focus is not limited to religious studies.
“Students are not only studying Islamic sciences, but also medicine, psychology, pharmacy, economics, and agriculture,” Lutfi explained, emphasizing the wide range of disciplines available in the Land of the Pyramids. According to him, these fields present strong opportunities for collaboration with Indonesian universities, including UNISMA, as part of their broader internationalization vision.
Egyptian universities also hold strong global reputations. In the QS World University Rankings 2025, 15 Egyptian universities were listed, with three institutions ranking highest: Cairo University, The American University in Cairo, and Ain Shams University. The historic Al-Azhar also continues to receive global recognition.
Ambassador Lutfi further emphasized the importance of strengthening cultural and educational cooperation between the two countries. He pointed to the growing number of inter-university collaborations across various disciplines, including student exchanges and joint research initiatives. Beyond academia, bilateral relations have also achieved a milestone with the recognition of pencak silat as an official sport in Egypt, demonstrating the broad spectrum of cooperation that can be developed.
Concluding his remarks, Lutfi Rauf expressed hope that educational partnerships between Indonesian and Egyptian universities would move beyond formal agreements. “We have signed many MoUs, but they must be followed by real implementation. Let the MoU be a strong and meaningful first step,” he concluded.