As reported on the official website of the Doctoral Program in Islamic Politics, the Doctoral Program in Islamic Politics and Political Science at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) is steadily making strides on the international stage and continues to collaborate with renowned universities. Dr. Hasse Jubba, MA, the secretary of the Doctoral Program in Islamic Politics and Political Science at UMY, visited one of the oldest universities located in the heart of Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, the University of Yangon (August 26).
This visit was undertaken not only to promote the study program but also to explore research collaborations, joint publications, and offer programs for international students. The visit was conducted at the Faculty of Science, Department of Anthropology, which focuses on minority studies, peace building, development studies, and other strategic regional issues. Professor Mya Mya Khin, as the head of department, received the visit in her office on a Yangon afternoon along with other lecturers.
During the approximately 2-hour discussion, it was conveyed that the Doctoral Program in Islamic Politics and Political Science at UMY is currently developing several studies that also respond to regional issues in Southeast Asia, including issues of peace, radicalism, terrorism, intolerance, 1 and inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogue. The University of Yangon responded positively to this visit and was very enthusiastic about conducting several collaborations starting at the faculty member level. In this meeting, it was also discussed that there would be an initial program in the form of joint research and publication at the two universities (University of Yangon and Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta). One interesting thing at the University of Yangon is the very visible accommodation for Muslims. In the Department of Anthropology, one of the lecturers is from the Muslim community.
On the second day, Dr. Hasse Jubba, MA also conducted a research sharing session with the lecturers of the Department of Anthropology (August 27). In this forum, the current conditions in Indonesia were conveyed, especially regarding the relationship between Islam and minority groups. The lecturers were very interested in learning about the role of Islam as the majority religion in Indonesia. Through this opportunity, they were informed that although Muslims are the majority in Indonesia, there is still accommodation for the interests of minority (religious) groups, including providing space for them to contribute at the university and government levels.
This opportunity was also used to ask how the Buddhist majority in Myanmar accommodates and treats Muslims. According to them, at the academic level of higher education, there are almost no problems, but at the practical level of society, there are still practices that are not accommodating. This issue will be one of the topics that will be responded to in future joint research and publications.
