An educational institution is a support in order that education could endlessly develop and be more advanced. Thus, each institution must need a support or encouragement from another institution to embody its dream. An activity frequently carried out among institutions was field trip or having cooperation that it also aims to interweave good relationship.

So did Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu (UMB). On Thursday (17/12) UMB visited Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY. It was a comparative study of department and students activities. Moreover, it provides an occasion to intertwine cooperation between UMY and UMB. “This study trip is a comparative study that there are 47 students and 7 lecturers consisting of a Dean of FISIPOL UMB, a Vice Dean of FSIPOL UMB, and a Head of a department of UMB, explained Bambang Wahyu Nugroho, S.IP., M.A., as the Vice Dean of FISIPOL, Student and Cooperation Division of UMY.

Bambang expounded that, besides learning process in the department, students of UMB were acquainted to student activities of FISIPOL UMY. “Welcoming them, it invites not only the Dean and the Vice Dean but also Student Executive Board (BEM) of FISIPOL, Student Representative Council (DPM) of FISIPOL UMY, Muhammadiyah Student Association (IMM) of FISIPOL, and Fresh Club or PKM FISIPOL UMY,” he mentioned.

Furthermore, the visit of UMB to UMY drew both institutions to cooperate between the universities, particularly between FISIPOL UMY and FISIPOL UMB. It was cooperation in academic area especially in the improvement of learning system like curriculum improvement, research, and student activity units. However, the implementation was still in agreement phase. “For the process of MoU, it is still in the agreement phase. When both parties have already agreed, Insya Allah we would come there to sign MoU,” conveyed Bambang.

It has been noticed, Bambang continued, that several departments of UMB were accredited C. Therefore, UMY expected that the visit of UMB to UMY would encourage them to enhance the accreditation to be B. “We hope that UMY could be a university coach since we have already accredited A, and most departments have got A for the accreditation. Hence, it is morally compulsory for us. Moreover, we both are Muhammadiyah universities that, at least, we assist to foster our Muhammadiyah fellows, particularly in the higher education,” he uttered.