Mataram, University of Mataram — The University of Mataram (Unram) has officially entered into a strategic partnership with the Hamzanwadi Islamic Institute (IAIH) NW East Lombok through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to enhancing the quality, competitiveness, and accessibility of higher education for communities across West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

The MoU signing ceremony took place on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in the Unram Rectorate Meeting Room. The event was attended by the Rector of Unram, the Rector of IAIH NW East Lombok and his delegation, Unram’s Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, the Director of the Graduate School, and the university’s deans.

In his remarks, Prof. Dr. Sukardi, M.Pd., Rector of Unram, warmly welcomed the partnership and reaffirmed Unram’s readiness, as the leading public university in NTB, to support the academic development of IAIH NW East Lombok. He emphasized that, as the province’s largest public university, Unram carries both a moral and academic responsibility to foster the growth of private higher education institutions and faith-based institutes across the region.

“Unram is always open to becoming a growth partner for private universities and institutes in NTB. This collaboration is a concrete implementation of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. We want to ensure that improvements in the quality of higher education are distributed more evenly across NTB, including through efficient hybrid learning models that benefit students in East Lombok,” he said.

The partnership stems from a shared recognition of the need to promote equitable access to quality higher education. While leading universities have traditionally been concentrated in urban areas, regions such as East Lombok possess tremendous potential in terms of prospective students who deserve greater educational opportunities.

The Rector of IAIH NW East Lombok, TGKG. Lalu Gede Muhammad Zainuddin Atsani, M.Pd., expressed his sincere gratitude for the warm welcome extended by Unram’s leadership. He explained that the visit represented far more than a ceremonial administrative event, carrying instead a broader mission to create better educational opportunities for Islamic boarding school students (santri) and the younger generation.

“Our presence here is not only to sign this Memorandum of Understanding but also to build a long-term partnership in advancing higher education—not only in state universities or in Mataram City, but also in East Lombok,” he said.

He further noted that each year, thousands of graduates from East Lombok pursue higher education, with many continuing their studies in cities such as Malang and Kediri, as well as at various public and private universities throughout Indonesia.

Through this collaboration with Unram, however, he hopes that more of the region’s talented young people will be able to pursue quality higher education while remaining in NTB and contributing to the development of their home region. The partnership is therefore expected to introduce more efficient and affordable learning schemes for students.

The ceremony continued with the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, a souvenir exchange, and a group photograph with the university leaders. It was followed by technical discussions among the respective working units to formulate collaborative initiatives at the faculty and study program levels.

This partnership is expected to serve as a strong example of synergy between a public university and an Islamic higher education institution rooted in the pesantren tradition, contributing to the advancement of higher education throughout West Nusa Tenggara.