20-22 March, 2016: Conference and Roundtable Discussion on Islamic Economics and Business Studies co-organized by IIIT and IAIN Imam Bonjol, Padang.

The Conference and Roundtable Discussion on Islamic Economics and Business Studies was co-organized by IIIT and IAIN Imam Bonjol, Padang and was attended by more than 100 participants from all over Indonesia. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Dr. Ahmad Wira, Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics IAIN Imam Bonjol and  Bapak Mohamad Siddik, Representative for Indonesia, IIIT East and Southeast Asia. Keynote Address was delivered by Dr H. Eka Putra Wirman, MA., Rector, IAIN Imam Bonjol.

The First Session I was on ‘Islamization of Knowledge in Malaysian and Indonesian University’ by Dato Wira’ Dr. Jamil Osman, Director, IIIT East and SEA and Bapak M. Habib Chirzin, Representative for Indonesia, IIIT East and SEA.

The Second Session was on ‘Islamization and Integration of Knowledge in Economics and Business Studies’ featuring Prof. Dr. Mohammad Hamid, Dean of Academics Affairs, Universiti Islam Malaysia; Dr. Irfan Syauqi Beik, Director, Center of Islamic Business and Economic Studies, Bogor Agricultural University; and Dr. M. Shabri Abd. Majid, Head, Department of Islamic Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Acheh. 

Session Three was a Roundtable Discussion on ‘Curriculum and Teaching of Islamic Economics and Business Studies’ where invited Deans and resource persons were given 10 minutes each on their experiences in their respective Universities and Colleges. 

15 March, 2016: MOU and MOA Signing Ceremony between IIIT and University Islam Malaysia. Attended by Prof. Dato Wira Dr. Jamil Osman, Hj Sha’aya Othman and Prof. Dr. M. Fauzan Nordin.

08 March, 2016: Talk on ‘Managing Waqf for Educational Development in Turkey and Malaysia’ organised by UIM. Resource person (speaker) – Hj Shaya’a Othman.

09-10 March, 2016: Site visit and discussion on Establishment of International Islamic College of Cambodia. Attended by Prof. Dato Wira Dr. Jamil Osman and bro. Shahran Kasim.

16-22 February, 2016: Sri Lankan Muslim Youth Leaders Study Tour and Leadership Training in Malaysia.

IIIT coordinates the whole visit which include academic lectures, visit to educational institutions, teamwork activities, strategic planning workshop and leisure visit. The delegates consists of 11 males and 5 females youth leaders accompanied by 4 chaperons.

14-19 February, 2016: Conference on Islamic Psychology, Yogyakarta. Resource Persons – Prof. Dr. Malik Badri and Prof. Dr. Mastura Badzis

The National Conference on Islamic Epistemology was organized by the Faculty of Psychology, UII (Universitas Islam Indonesia) at the Royal Ambarrukmo hotel, Yogyakarta, February 16 and 17, 2016. Prof. Dr. Malik Badri and Prof. Dr. Mastura Badzis of IIUM have enlightened and inspired the participants in two series of Workshop on Islamic Psychology of Family Life, Children Character Education and the Need for Textbook Writing. The Questions and answers were very dynamic and lively.

The conference and workshops have been officiated by the Rector of UII, brother Prof. Dr. Ir. Harsoyo, and  attended by the Deans, Professors, lecturers and participants from different universities in Indonesia : from Jakarta, Bogor, Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang, Surakarta, Malang and others. We had a good chance to meet with the Rector of UII and some Deans, to discuss the follow up program on the Textbook Writing.

01-02 February, 2016: International Conference on Islamisation and Integration of Knowledge in East and Southeast Asia co-organised by IIIT and UIN Ar Raniry, Banda Acheh

International Conference on Islamization and Integration of Knowledge in East and Southeast Asia was held on February 1, 2016. The Conference was co-organized by Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Ar Raniry, Banda Acheh and International Institute of Islamic Thought – East and Southeast Asia office. The main objective of the Conference was to discuss contemporary challenges and to prepare a broad working plan in the context of Islamization and Integration of Knowledge in this region. The Conference was attended by more than one hundred invited lecturers, educators and public officials.

Prof. Dr. Farid Wajdi Ibrahim, Rector UIN Ar Raniry in his keynote address stated that the people of Acheh are very proud with their history of Islamic Sultanate which was deeply rooted in Islamic knowledge and teaching. The period had produced well-known scholars such Ar Raniry and Abdul Rauf Singkil who left a legacy in scholarship and piety. The Rector then urged all academics in Acheh to emulate this scholarship tradition and then join hand together to contribute to the growth of Islam in this region.

The Conference was focusing on three broad topics namely a survey of Islamization process and experience in this region, challenges and prospects of establishing Islamic education in Muslim minority countries, and roles of Waqf in building educational institutions. Prof. Dr. Yusny Saby in his presentation reminisced the ‘high culture’ possessed by the early Muslims who successfully spread Islam to this region. He urged contemporary Muslims to strive hard to regain this ‘high culture’ in order to ensure the success of Islamization process. Dato’ Wira Dr. Jamil Osman shared his more than 30 years of experience in managing Islamic universities and pointed out several strategies on how Islamization of Knowledge can be implemented successfully in this region.

IIIT Country Representatives from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines presented contemporary challenges in building Islamic educational institutions in their respective countries. They stated that there is a great need for teaching materials and teacher’s training for kindergarten, primary and secondary Islamic schools. They also stressed the need for translation, leadership training for the youth and parenting skills for newly married Muslim couples.

The last session featured speakers from Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia who shared their experiences and insights of setting up Islamic higher learning institutions based on Waqf. Successful models shown by Fatoni University Thailand, Universitas Darussalam Gontor and other institutions were highlighted. The presenters and audience agreed that Waqf is one of the strengths that need to be tapped from Muslim communities to set-up a financially stable and independent higher learning institutions.

Memorandum of Understanding was signed during the Conference by the Rector of UIN Ar Raniry and Regional Representative of IIIT for East and Southeast Asia as a symbol of commitment for future cooperation. The Conference ended with a positive note and a strong commitment by all participants to work together for the betterment of Muslim society in this region. 

31 January, 2016: Welcoming Dinner with Mayor of Banda Acheh in Conjuction with International Conference on Islamization and Integration of Knowledge

29-31 January, 2016: IIIT East and Southeast Asia Coordination Meeting.

The two-day meeting was held at Concorde Inn Airport Hotel, Kuala Lumpur and was attended by Prof. Dr. Omar H. Kasule and all country representatives. The meeting finalised programs and activities to be organized and implemented for year 2016 in this region.

05-08 January, 2016: Workshop on Textbook Writing on Islamic Economics and Business Studies, Universitas Darul Salam (UNIDA) Gontor. Resource persons – Prof. Dr. Dato Jamil Osman, Prof. Dr. Mohamad Hamid and Prof. Dr. Norma Md Saad.

Workshop on “Islamization of Knowledge, Curriclum Reform and Textbook Writing in the Islamic Economics” was held at UNIDA (Universitas Darussalam) Gontor, January 6 and 7, 2016 and officiated by the Rector of UNIDA Brother Prof. Dr.Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi.

Dato Dr. Jamil Osman, Prof. M Abdul Hamid and Dr. Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi the Deputy Rector 1 of UNIDA, delivered the very fundamental and substantial matters on the Islamization, Curriculum Reform and the Need for Textbook Writing in the Islamic Universities.

UNIDA and Pondok Modern Gontor have a deep and long root of Islamization and Integration of Knowledge since its establishment in 1926 (Pondok Modern Gontor) and in 1963 (UNIDA). The discussion was concentrated on how to implement the Islamization of the different disciplines in the contemporary context.

The afternoon session is a workshop by Prof. Dr. Norma Md Saad on the Curriculum Reform in the Islamic Economics and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hamid on the Curriculum Reform in the Business and Textbook Writing. In the late afternoon, a special a workshop on the Textbook Writing and follow up program, facilitated by Dato Wira Dr. Jamil Osman and me. The workshop was begun by the report from each departments of the Faculty of Islamic Economics on their achievement on their Islamization of the Curriculum.