As part of its internationalization efforts, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) is expanding its global collaboration network with the Marketing Asia Group (MAG). UMS served as the host of the MAG Scholar Conference in Business Marketing and Tourism, held in a hybrid format at the Edutorium K.H. Ahmad Dahlan, 22–24 November 2025.
MAG is a marketing platform consisting of academics and business practitioners from around the world. Founded in 2007, MAG Scholar provides opportunities for business enthusiasts to deepen their understanding of how culture influences marketing practices within specific regions.
UMS Vice Rector V, Prof. Supriyono, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., stated that it was an honor for UMS to be entrusted by MAG as a partner in organizing this international conference.
“Because they contacted me on Wednesday and the conference was to be held on Saturday. It was a very short notice, and I was truly pleased and grateful to become a partner of MAG Scholar,” he said on Sunday (23/11/2025).
Supriyono emphasized that the main reason for accepting the invitation to collaborate was UMS’s global positioning strategy and its goal of becoming a university with internationally standardized academic capabilities. “The reason UMS chose this partnership is because it is part of our internationalization program. We want to become more globally recognized,” he asserted.
This aligns with the institution’s visibility program in strengthening international collaboration. As a higher education institution under Muhammadiyah, UMS holds the responsibility of being at the forefront as a center of Islamic education and the development of science and technology in producing high-quality academics.
“In terms of accreditation, I believe more than 80 percent of our departments have been accredited with the ‘Excellent’ level by the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT). That is what I mean when I say UMS is the largest university under Muhammadiyah,” Supriyono added.
In line with the internationalization agenda, the conference, attended by academics from various Asian countries, also became a platform for Supriyono to highlight UMS’s strengths as an educational institution. Since 2009, UMS has welcomed international students and today is home to 200 international students from countries across the globe.
MAG Scholar President Emeritus, Professor Kim-Shyan Fam, explained that the platform, which has existed for nearly 20 years, began with a simple experience of attending a conference as an ordinary speaker. “Why don’t I create a new category and form my own marketing and leadership group?” he said, recalling the philosophy behind the establishment of MAG Scholar.
Professor Kim also encouraged individuals to create new opportunities in the business world. Since its first conference in 2011, MAG Scholar has remained committed to supporting research that develops theories and provides insights into marketing management.
“So, for your benefit, MAG Scholar was established to provide a platform for all of you to share your business interests and network with peers in your field,” he stated.
Director of the Directorate of Reputation, Partnerships, and International Affairs at UMS, Nurgiyatna, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed that the successful hosting of this international conference is expected to serve as a starting point for further research collaboration between UMS academics and the international community.
“This collaboration is grounded in the spirit of working together for shared good and sustainability. Marketing and business experts who are members of MAG, as well as conference participants, can build networks with lecturers and researchers at UMS,” he said.
Looking ahead, he hopes that this conference will bring positive impacts in enhancing students’ knowledge, experience, and global insight, as well as paving the way for continued collaboration in academics, research, and institutional reputation building.
“Our hope is that we can soon proceed with signing the MoU and immediately begin implementing the cooperation, such as inbound and outbound visiting lectures, joint research initiatives, and efforts to enhance the reputation of both UMS and MAG,” he concluded.
Writer: Roselia Puspita Asri
Editor: Fika Annisa Sholihah
Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid
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