The efforts of the Islamic Politics-Political Science Study Program at the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta to become the leading PhD program in Southeast Asia continue. On August 26, 2019, the Study Program Management Secretary, Dr Hasse Jubba, MA, visited one of the oldest and leading universities in Myanmar, the University of Yangon. The university is located in the heart of Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. This visit was carried out in addition to promoting study programs, also conducting explorations for research collaborations, joint publications, and offering programs for foreign students. The visit was conducted at the Faculty of Science Department of Anthropology, which has a focus of study on issues of minority studies, peacebuilding, development studies, and other strategic area issues. Professor Mya Mya Khin, as ahead of the department, received a visit to his office on the afternoon of Yangon time with other lecturers.
In the discussion carried out for approximately 2 hours, it was stated that currently, the study program of S3 Politics of Islam-Political Science UMY is developing several studies that also respond to regional issues in Southeast Asia including issues of peace, radicalism, terrorism, intolerance, and dialogue between ethnicity and religion. The University of Yangon responded well to this visit and was very enthusiastic about doing some collaborations that began at the faculty members level. In this meeting also discussed the existence of an initial program in the form of joint research and publications in two universities (the University of Yangon and Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University). One thing that is interesting at Yangon University is that accommodations for Muslims are very visible. In the Department of Anthropology, one of the lecturers is Muslim.
On the second day, August 27, 2019, Dr Hasse Jubba, MA also conducts research sharing with Department of Anthropology lecturers. In the forum, presented the current conditions of Indonesia, especially regarding the relationship of Islam and minority groups. The lecturers were very interested in knowing about the role of Islam as the majority religious population in Indonesia. Through this opportunity, it was conveyed to them that even though in Indonesia Muslims became the majority, there was still an accommodation of interests in minority groups (religions) including providing space to take part in the level of universities and government. This opportunity is also used at the same time to question how Buddhist accommodation and attitudes as the majority group in Myanmar towards Muslims. According to them, at the academic level of higher education, there is almost no problem, but at the practical level, the community still finds practices that are not accommodating. This issue is one of the topics that will be responded to in future joint research and publications.
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