Prepared by: Dr. Mohd Fikri Bin Sofi
UUM ONLINE: Through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia (KEMENAG), the Islamic Business School has achieved a remarkable milestone when, out of the 43 students sponsored, an impressive 23 have chosen to pursue their Master in Islamic Finance and Banking (MIFB) at the school.
The Dean of IBS, Assoc. Prof. Dr Selamah Maamor, highlighted the significance of their selection as a positive step towards boosting education in the area of Islamic finance and banking. This decision also fosters cultural exchange between two neighbouring countries. The dean shared these insights during a meeting with all the students at the FWD meeting room.
"This initiative establishes a solid foundation for ongoing collaboration between IBS and selected Universiti Islam Negeri (UIN) in various areas such as research, publication, joint supervision, teacher and student exchange programmes, and cultural programmes," she said.
She further stated that the collaboration between UUM through IBS and UIN Sunan Ampel particularly, represents a significant shift in the field of higher education. Many students have chosen IBS because of its promotional activities and programmes aimed at mutual support and international excellence.
"We are very grateful for the opportunity to welcome talented individuals from Indonesia who are pursuing their master degrees in IBS. They will have the opportunity to explore deeper into the world of Islamic finance and banking, both in Malaysia and Indonesia.”
"My heartiest congratulations to the students, UUM and IBS management, and all UUM denizens for their commendable efforts in making this collaboration a reality," she said at the meeting with all the students under the KEMENAG scholarship.
She then shared guidance, tips, and advice to ensure a smooth journey in the selected programme, all within the one-year timeline. In order to fulfil this objective, Prof. Dr Nor Hayati has been appointed as an advisor to oversee and assist with any emerging issues, with the support of the MIFB Programme Chair.
In addition, she expressed optimism that these 23 students will serve as UUM and IBS ambassadors, representing the esteemed management institution in various human capital development initiatives. This collaboration’s success is evident, as more students will receive similar scholarships in the next admission cycle.
The Secretary General of KEMENAG, Prof. Dr Muhammad Ali Ramdhani, emphasised the importance of active involvement to bring meaning to the lifeless MoU. He called for full commitment from the IBS management, lecturers, and students in an effort to engender more alumni from this programme.
As part of their collaboration, this special cohort under KEMENAG has a variety of programmes in store, including student mobility from UIN Sunan Ampel, Surabaya. In addition, there is a planned online joint lecture session where academicians from both universities will have the opportunity to lead a unique global classroom experience. The meeting concluded with a short briefing from the programme chair regarding course registration. Students were excited to embark on a tour of the IBS office and its surrounding building.