UMY Explores Academic Partnership with Prestigious Spanish University
In a strategic move to expand its international cooperation and bolster global academic standards, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) hosted a delegation from the historic University of Granada (UGR), one of Spain’s oldest institutions, on Monday, May 5. The meeting, held at UMY’s AR Fachruddin Building, aimed to explore avenues for academic and research collaboration between the two universities.
The session opened with a presentation by Manuel Paniza Medina, a representative of UGR, who outlined the university’s rich history—founded in 1531 and located in Granada, a city historically known as a cradle of Islamic civilization in Europe. Drawing on this legacy, UGR offers a distinctive Arabic studies program that merges European academic traditions with Middle Eastern cultural and historical insights.
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“Our mission is to foster cross-cultural understanding and historical awareness,” Medina noted. “Education at UGR extends beyond academics; it is rooted in inclusivity and mutual respect, particularly given the diversity of our student body from around the globe.”
Medina also highlighted UGR’s robust approach to collaborative research. The university actively partners with industry to drive innovation, supported by a dedicated vice-rector for research and innovation. UGR currently oversees more than 580 active research projects and has launched over 82 spin-off companies, with research initiatives spanning pharmaceuticals, agrotechnology, and biotechnology.
The UGR delegation was welcomed by Prof. Rizal Yaya, Ph.D., Director of UMY’s Global Partnership and Employability Office, along with faculty representatives from programs including Law, Civil Engineering, International Relations, and Language Education.
In his remarks, Prof. Yaya emphasized the shared vision between UMY and UGR—particularly in enhancing research capacity and forging strategic partnerships. He praised UGR’s collaborative research model as closely aligned with UMY’s development goals as an entrepreneurial university.
“This dialogue is an important step toward establishing tangible cooperation,” said Yaya. “We are optimistic about the prospects for joint research, faculty and student exchanges, and visiting scholar programs.”
The visit marks a promising beginning in what both institutions hope will evolve into a sustained and impactful academic partnership.