The Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) alongside the Informatics Engineering Department of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang officially signed a strategic Cooperation Agreement (PKS) in information technology with the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of Batu City. The signing ceremony took place during the Batu City MUI Work Meeting at El Hotel Kartika Wijaya, Batu City, on Sunday (Nov 1, 2026).
This key event was attended directly by the Head of the Undergraduate Program in Informatics Engineering, Dr. Ir. Supriyono, S.Kom., M.Kom., and the Head of the Master’s Program in Informatics, Prof. Dr. Ir. Muhammad Faisal, M.T. This collaboration marks a concrete commitment from the academic community of Informatics Engineering UIN Malang to integrate science and technology expertise with religious outreach, addressing the challenges of the rapid digital transformation era.
The General Chairperson of MUI Batu City, KH. Abdullah Thohir, emphasized the importance of technology adoption by Islamic scholars (ulama) and preachers. According to him, leveraging digital platforms is crucial to expanding the reach of religious dissemination (syiar) and keeping it relevant to modern dynamics.
“Ulamas must utilize technology so that MUI’s message becomes broader and more accessible. That is why we collaborate with IT experts at UIN Maliki, some of which has already materialized through our website. God willing, we will establish further collaborations with various other parties,” said Kyai Abdullah.
Representing the university, Prof. Dr. Ir. Muhammad Faisal, M.T., warmly welcomed this synergy. In his opening speech, he highlighted the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and public reliance on digital platforms, which bring both positive benefits and challenges, such as the spread of misinformation and hoaxes.
“Ulamas need to play an active role in the digital space to ensure positive values dominate public channels. We are ready to support programs that bridge religious knowledge and science between ulamas and higher education institutions,” stated Prof. Faisal.
Through this partnership, the Informatics Engineering Department of UIN Malang is prepared to follow up on the agreement with several community development initiatives, including:
Digital Literacy Empowerment: Educating the community and MUI management on wise media consumption and filtering authentic information.
Information Systems Support & Development: Developing and managing digital platforms and IT infrastructure to enhance organizational operations and preaching effectiveness.
Integrative Research on Islam and IT: Conducting joint research and discussions connecting Informatics Engineering expertise with Islamic values.
The Batu City MUI Work Meeting was attended by approximately 80 committee members, including the Advisory Board, Executive Board, functional commissions, and sub-district MUI representatives across Batu City. Also present was the Head of Public Welfare (Kabag Kesra) of Batu City, H. Suyanto, S.Ag., M.H. Alongside the agreement signing, the agenda included formulating the 2027 organizational programs and handing over grant funds to local sub-district MUI branches.
This strategic partnership is expected to further solidify the position of Informatics Engineering UIN Malang as a leader in leveraging information technology for societal benefit.
