UMY Partners with the Philippines’ MSU-IIT to Launch Double-Degree Programme for Students
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) and the Philippines’ Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to develop double-degree programmes.
The partnership involves UMY’s Arabic Language Education programme and MSU-IIT’s Department of Filipino, as well as UMY’s Government Studies programme and MSU-IIT’s Sociology programme.
The agreement was signed today at the ‘MoA Signing Ceremony and Collaboration Discussion’ on the fifth floor of UMY’s AR Fachruddin A Building. It provides a basis for the two universities to prepare the programmes and expand opportunities for cross-border study.
UMY Rector Prof. Dr Achmad Nurmandi, M.Sc., said he hoped the partnership would create wider academic opportunities for students.
“We hope this initiative will create greater opportunities for students, encourage academic innovation and provide a strong foundation for sustainable collaboration,” he said in a written statement on Wednesday (28 October 2026).
Opportunities to study at two institutions
The double-degree programmes are designed to give students the opportunity to study at both institutions, in line with the agreed programme structures and academic requirements.
Implementation will require academic and administrative coordination, including alignment of learning arrangements, student mobility and compliance with applicable requirements.
MSU-IIT Chancellor Prof. Alizedney M. Ditucalan, LL.D., emphasised the importance of friendship and leadership in sustaining the partnership.
“I think what has really made the collaboration between MSU-IIT and UMY so successful is friendship and leadership,” he said.
Preparing the programme’s implementation
Following the signing, the two universities plan to coordinate between the faculties and study programmes involved. Preparations will include developing technical arrangements and preparing academic and administrative documents.
UMY and MSU-IIT will also draw up an implementation timetable, including student recruitment and selection and arrangements for academic mobility. Regular communication will be needed to ensure that both institutions are ready.
In addition to international study experience, the partnership is expected to create opportunities for exchanges of knowledge, research and cultural experience.
Through the agreement, UMY and MSU-IIT are strengthening the foundations for double-degree programmes that could broaden students’ educational experience and deepen academic ties between Indonesia and the Philippines.