UMJ Inaugurates Tulang Bawang Campus Building, Strengthening Education Access in Lampung
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TULANG BAWANG – Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta (UMJ) held a silaturahim event alongside the inauguration of the UMJ Tulang Bawang campus building in Lampung on Tuesday (28/4/2026). This agenda is a follow-up to the implementation of the Regional Grant Agreement Deed (NPHD) between the Tulang Bawang Regency Government and the Central Leadership of Muhammadiyah.
The NPHD covers the grant of assets including 10 hectares of land, buildings, roads, irrigation, networks, and equipment owned by the local government. The agreement, numbered B/900.1.3.1/7151/V.2/TB/I/2026 and 158/I.0/A/2026, was signed by the Regent of Tulang Bawang, Drs Qudrotul Ikhwan, MM, and the General Chairman of PP Muhammadiyah, Prof Dr Haedar Nashir, M.Si, on 23 January 2026 in Yogyakarta.
The silaturahim and building inauguration, located in Tulang Bawang, Lampung, was attended by around 2,300 invited guests. They included the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, the Deputy Governor of Lampung, the Muhammadiyah Regional Leadership of Lampung, the Regent of Tulang Bawang along with the DPRD apparatus, as well as invited guests from the Muhammadiyah organisation.
UMJ Rector Prof Dr Ma’mun Murod, M.Si expressed gratitude for the event’s success and UMJ’s commitment to providing education in the region.
“There are no words more fitting than our gratitude to Allah SWT, for through His longing and power, this morning we can set foot in Lampung for the inauguration of the building and silaturahim of UMJ in Tulang Bawang,” he said.
He explained that UMJ currently has 65 study programmes, including occupational therapy which has recently received its operational licence. Additionally, there are 8 programmes in process, as well as plans to open several doctoral programmes and additional PSDKU. “UMJ is committed to advancing education and will recruit lecturers from the sons and daughters of the Tulang Bawang and Lampung regions,” he emphasised.
The Head of LLDikti Region II, Prof Dr Iskhaq Iskandar, M.Sc, stressed the importance of collaboration in higher education development. According to him, education must build a strong foundation, with the primary goal of liberating students.
“The presence of UMJ is not to diminish the existing higher education institutions in Lampung but rather to collaborate, synergise, build, and advance higher education, especially in Lampung Province,” he stated.
He also hoped that UMJ’s presence would strengthen the higher education ecosystem in the region. “Make UMJ Tulang Bawang an example of a harmonious university and a reference in the LLDIKTI II region,” he said.
The Regent of Tulang Bawang, KRA Drs Hi Qudrotul Ikhwan Karyonagoro, MM, appreciated UMJ’s presence. This, he said, is a great blessing considering that Tulang Bawang previously had no higher education institution and now directly has a campus of superior quality.
“Today, a university has materialised before us that, as people say, is not a makeshift university,” he remarked. He hoped that UMJ could continue to collaborate with the local government in education development, MSMEs, applied research, and community empowerment.
Lampung’s Deputy Governor, dr Jihan Nurlela, MM, also expressed appreciation for UMJ’s arrival. According to her, this signals the realisation of the Regent of Tulang Bawang’s tagline with the acronym “Udang Manis” through the initial step of building the UMJ campus in Tulang Bawang, Lampung.
“The presence of UMJ in Tulang Bawang strengthens Lampung’s position in education and becomes a new alternative for the community to pursue knowledge without having to go to big cities,” she said.
Jihan explained that the challenges, especially in the education sector, are still extraordinarily high. Only 22% of upper secondary graduates in Lampung are absorbed into higher education.
This means, she clarified, that the Lampung Government still has homework for about 78% to guide high school, vocational school, and madrasah aliyah graduates to continue to higher education.
“Insya Allah, this will become a campus of pride for the people of Tulang Bawang, West Tulang Bawang, and a prima donna in education in Lampung Province,” she concluded.
The event continued with a study session by the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education and General Secretary of PP Muhammadiyah, Prof Dr Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed. He emphasised the importance of superior universities in regions to create quality education services.
Mu’ti explained that establishing an accredited superior campus in a new area is more efficient in terms of budget and its quality is more accountable than starting a new higher education institution from scratch on a trial basis. “Insya Allah, this UMJ is a superior campus and its education is not substandard,” he said.
According to him, efforts to establish superior higher education in regions ensure quality education services. He said this is to avoid degrees without competence.
Furthermore, he explained the phenomena of over-education and under-education. Many have high degrees but do not get jobs that match, while on the other hand, many people still do not receive adequate education.
“Therefore, we strive to provide education that is accessible, affordable, and flexible. Accessible means close to the community. Affordable means reachable, not free, but those who cannot afford must be assisted,” he said.
Mu’ti hoped for support from all parties so that this programme runs well, because the key to progress is education. Education is a process that makes a person change to become better. “Education is a very powerful weapon to make us great, from zero to hero,” he concluded.
Through this cooperation, UMJ is entrusted by the Tulang Bawang Regency Government to manage education services through the PSDKU Tulang Bawang Campus. The presence of this PSDKU is part of efforts to develop education in the region and strengthen collaboration between higher education, local government, and Muhammadiyah.