Sharia banking education is undertaken by increasingly involving the academic elements. Sharia financial education programs that have been held at various major universities must always be in line with Sharia banking actuality and dynamics as to produce qualified human resources in accordance to the qualifications needed by industry. This is also being conducted by Bank Muamalat Indonesia which is now having cooperation with the Jakarta State Polytechnic.

Thursday, 2/9 Bank Muamalat signed MoU of cooperation with the Jakarta State Polytechnic, each of which is represented by the Director of Bank Muamalat, Andi Buchari and Director of the Jakarta State Polytechnic, Prof. Dr. Ir. Johnny Wahyuadi Mudaryoto, DEA. This cooperation is developed through two subsidiaries of Bank Muamalat, namely Muamalat Institute (MI) and Baitulmaal Muamalat (BMM). In addition to the Director of Bank Muamalat, Andi Buchari, also attended in this event the Executive Director of Muamalat Institute, Ahmad Fadjrie, and the Executive Director of Baitulmaal Muamalat, Isnaini Mufti Aziz. "The gap between industrial needs and the recruitment of Sharia banking human resources is not only in quantity but also quality, the synergy between Sharia banking and institutions of higher education is very important in the Sharia banking education," said Andi.

As a subsidiary of Bank Muamalat which is engaged in research, training, consulting and publication, Muamalat Institute focused to have cooperation with the Jakarta State Polytechnic in the field of economic learning, finance and sharia banking through the curriculum. This technically will be done in the course of the development and enrichment of teaching program of D4 Sharia Banking program through the preparation of teachers/lecturers who come from Sharia Banking practitioners. To strengthen the learning activities, Bank Muamalat plans to give the Job Training opportunities within the circle of Bank Muamalat either for lecturers or the students of the Jakarta State Polytechnic.

"Through this cooperation, we hope the existing balanced scientific development of Sharia banking between the concept and application in the college environment will rapidly grow to meet the challenges of professional human resources needs who have high intellectual capacity and skills as well as acceptable and ready to use in the Sharia banking industry", said Andi.

In synergy with Muamalat Institute, Baitulmaal Muamalat (BMM) also develops a cooperation to enhance human resource competencies in practical lines. Andi explained that it is undertaken through the initiation program of campus-based Sharia Micro Financial Institution role model which is technically run by establishing laboratory facilities for the direct operational implementation of Sharia microfinance institutions.
To achieve these objectives, Baitulmaal Muamalat relies on its experiences in empowering the sharia microfinance institutions through mentoring programs and the strengthening of capital, such as those carried out to more than 1,300 sharia microfinance institutions and the initiation of Bank Muamalat in the establishment of 3000 Baitul Maal Wat Tamwiil (BMT) in cooperation with PINBUK across Indonesia which is mandated by the Ministry of Cooperatives and SME, Republic of Indonesia since 2003.

"Tens of thousands of human resources needed to fill various positions in the Sharia banking institution in less than five years. To pursue market share of conventional banking, they are not only required to have academic certificate, but also stable insight and expertise. For the said purpose, synergy with educational institutions will be continue to develop, " Andi ended. (hnf/hnf)