Perkembangan hubungan bilateral antara Indonesia dan Mesir terus mengalami berbagai dinamika dan telah terjalin secara berkelanjutan dari waktu ke waktu. Sektor pendidikan menjadi salah satu sektor utama yang mendukung kerja sama strategis kedua negara. Universitas Al-Azhar, sebagai institusi pendidikan Islam terkemuka, telah menjadi tujuan utama bagi ribuan mahasiswa Indonesia untuk menempuh studi dan telah berhasil mencetak alumni-alumni yang berpengaruh. Alumni Universitas Al-Azhar memainkan peran penting dalam mempererat hubungan bilateral di berbagai sektor, khususnya pendidikan, diplomasi, dan keagamaan. Namun, pengaruh signifikan para alumni dalam memperkuat kerja sama bilateral, khususnya di sektor pendidikan masih memerlukan kajian mendalam. Penelitian ini, yang berlandaskan teori Kepentingan Nasional dan Soft Power, menganalisis peran strategis alumni mahasiswa Indonesia di Universitas Al-Azhar dalam penguatan kerja sama pendidikan Indonesia-Mesir. Penelitian ini menyoroti kontribusi jaringan alumni dalam mendorong berbagai inisiatif kerja sama pendidikan, beasiswa, dan advokasi kebijakan. Dengan pendekatan kualitatif, penelitian ini mengeksplorasi peran alumni dalam menggerakkan sejumlah inisiatif di tingkat akar rumput, pengaruh mereka di tingkat regional, serta integrasi nilai-nilai Islam moderat Al-Azhar yang pada akhirnya memiliki dampak pada penguatan hubungan kerja sama Indonesia dan Mesir di sektor pendidikan. Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan wawasan baru tentang peran strategis alumni dalam hubungan bilateral suatu negara, serta menjadi dasar bagi pengembangan kebijakan yang mendukung kolaborasi pendidikan yang lebih strategis. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa alumni Universitas Al-Azhar memiliki pengaruh signifikan di berbagai tingkatan dalam mendorong peningkatan hubungan kerja sama bilateral pendidikan antara Indonesia dan Mesir yang dibuktikan dengan peran strategisnya sebagai jembatan dalam menjalin kolaborasi antara universitas-universitas di Indonesia dan institusi pendidikan di Mesir di berbagai sektor strategis.

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Bilateral relations between Indonesia and Egypt have endured for decades, with education serving as a cornerstone of their cooperation. Al-Azhar University, as a globally renowned Islamic educational institution, has been a prominent destination for thousands of Indonesian students, fostering academic, cultural and diplomatic ties. Indonesian alumni of Al-Azhar play a pivotal role in enhancing bilateral relations across sectors, particularly in education, diplomacy, and religious affairs. Despite their significance, the specific contributions of these alumni in shaping educational diplomacy and bilateral relations require further exploration. This research, grounded in the theories of National Interest and Soft Power,examines the strategic role of Indonesian Al-Azhar alumni in strengthening Indonesia-Egypt relations, with a focus on educational cooperation. It identifies the contributions of alumni networks as catalysts in promoting educational initiatives, scholarships, and policy advocacy. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this study investigates alumni-led grassroots efforts, regional influence, and their integration of Al-Azhar’s moderate Islamic values which ultimately strengthen Indonesia-Egypt educational cooperation. This study highlights the contribution of alumni networks in driving various educational cooperation initiatives, scholarships, and policy advocacy. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores the role of alumni in driving several grassroots initiatives, their influence at the regional level, and the integration of Al-Azhar's moderate Islamic values ​​that ultimately have an impact on strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and Egypt in the education sector. This study is expected to provide new insights into the strategic role of alumni in bilateral relations between a country, as well as being the basis for developing policies that support more strategic educational collaboration. The results of this study indicate that Al-Azhar University alumni have a significant influence at various levels in driving the improvement of bilateral educational cooperation between Indonesia and Egypt, as evidenced by their strategic role as a bridge in establishing collaboration between universities in Indonesia and educational institutions in Egypt in various strategic sectors.