As a young boy in Kudus, Central Java, Professor Abdul Mu’ti (MEd ’98) often listened to Radio Australia broadcasts to help him learn English. Then in the mid-90s, this paid off as he realised his dream of studying abroad – being accepted into a Master’s of Educational Studies at Flinders through the competitive Australia Awards Program.
Professor Mu’ti is now Minister for Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia, Professor of Islamic Education, and Head of the PhD Program in Islamic Education at Syarif Hidayatullah State University, Jakarta.
He has served as General Secretary of the Muhammadiyah Central Board since 2015 and is now in his second term until 2027. Muhammadiyah is a modernist Muslim organisation based in Indonesia and reaching 30 countries across the world.
“My time at Flinders University in Australia really enriched my understanding about Australia as a multicultural country,” he says.
“As a result, I’m very happy to be involved in many initiatives to bring Indonesia and Australia closer, especially in the areas of education, religion and culture. I also feel that Australia is my second home!”
While at Flinders, Professor Mu’ti became president of the Islamic Student Association. He was able to connect with fellow Indonesian students, expand his network with other international students and develop his leadership skills.
“One of the key principles I took from my studies at Flinders was how deep learning encourages critical thinking and applying knowledge in real-world contexts. It is something I am now introducing to education principles in Indonesia,” he says.
“The various interfaith and youth programs I attended helped me grow. I can say that my current achievements cannot be separated from the educational experience I had at Flinders, it really changed the course of my life.”
Professor Mu’ti is also active in interfaith dialogue and is the General Chairman of the Indonesian Conference of Religion and Peace, as well as being a former Executive Committee Member of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace.
“Multiculturalism and pluralism are very important for me, and I believe that these are factors which help to create a peaceful world,” he says.
Prior to his time at Flinders, Professor Mu’ti earned his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor in Tarbiyah (Islamic Education) from the at IAIN Walisongo Semarang University. He received his doctorate in 2008 from UIN Syarif Hidayatullah University in Jakarta.