(FEB NEWS) The Department of Islamic Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga (FEB UNAIR), received an academic visit and strategic meeting from a delegation from Mindanao State University on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the ABC Executive Meeting Room of FEB UNAIR. The meeting discussed opportunities for strategic collaboration in education, including student exchanges, lecturer exchanges, joint research, and international community service.
From FEB UNAIR, this activity was attended by Vice Dean III – Dr. Novrys Suhardianto, SE., MSA., Ak., Ph.D., Head of the Department of Islamic Economics – Prof. Dr. Imron Mawardi, SP, M.Si., Secretary of the Department of Islamic Economics – Dr. Puji Sucia Sukmaningrum, SEI, CIFP, and staff of the Department of Islamic Economics. Meanwhile, the MSU delegation was led by Prof. Dr. Abdul Cader M. Ayo as Executive Vice President, along with a number of leaders and strategic officials of the MSU System, including the Director of International Affairs and Linkages Office and representatives of the Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao.
This visit is a significant milestone considering MSU's plans to launch an Islamic Economics study program in the Mindanao region of the Philippines. The region—particularly Maranao Province—has a large Muslim population and significant potential for Islamic economic and financial development. Furthermore, Mindanao is a special autonomous region with distinct regulatory characteristics from other regions in the Philippines, necessitating support for superior human resource development and international academic collaboration.
During the strategic discussion, the two institutions discussed several collaborative plans, including joint research in Islamic economics and finance, promoting full-time and part-time student exchange programs at Universitas Airlangga, and opportunities for lecturers and students to participate as reviewers and authors in UNAIR scientific journals. This collaboration is expected to enrich the scientific knowledge base, strengthen best practices in Islamic economics teaching, and expand the international academic networks of both institutions.
Strategically, this collaboration supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This partnership between Indonesia and the Philippines not only improves the quality of education through cross-border exchange of knowledge and experience but also strengthens regional collaboration in promoting sustainable development based on science and Islamic economic values.
Going forward, this meeting will serve as the initial foundation for the development of further programs and the formulation of a more concrete memorandum of understanding, to ensure the sustainability of strategic collaboration between the Department of Islamic Economics, FEB UNAIR, and Mindanao State University.