The use of foreign languages is essential to communicate to people around the world in this globalization era. To confront the fact, Muhammadiyah and Aisyiah-affiliated higher education institutions (PTMA) established Language Center Association of Muhammadiyah and Aisyiah-affiliated Higher Education Institutions (APUSBA-PTMA) on Friday (4/5) at building of K.H. Mas Mansyur of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY).

APUSBA-PTMA is managed under DIKTI LITBANG PP Muhammadiyah. It comprises of 21 PTMA in Indonesia and centered at UMY. Deputy Treasurer of Higher Education Board and Research and Development of MUhammadiyah (DIKTI LITBANG) H. Ahmad Muttaqin, M.Ag., M.A., Ph.D. stated, “The association establishment aims to examine language development and it is expected that PTMA can collaborate in order that Muhammadiyah institutions have international standards.”

Ahmad Muttaqin wished that the association could enhance teachers’ and students’ foreign language ability so that Muhammadiyah institutions can be world class universities. Besides, APUSBA-PTMA should become a center for foreign people to learn the Indonesian language and culture.

Meanwhile, Head of APUSBA-PTMA 2018-2022 Noor Qomaria Agustina, S.Pd., M.Pd. mentioned that the first program of the association is to design language standards of language center to be used by all Muhammadiyah higher education institutions.

Noor Qomaria, who is also Head of Language Training Center (LTC) of UMY, invited other Muhamamdiyah higher education institutions, which has not become the association member yet, to participate in developing APUSBA-PTMA. “This association is firstly founded so that the members are few. Thus I encourage other Muhamamdiyah institutions to join and contribute to boost this association,” she declared.