By Maryam Spahic
The recent 32nd convocation of the International Islamic University Malaysia saw two honourable individuals received the title of Emeritus Professor, former Deputy Rector (Academic and Planning), Professor Datuk Dr. Md Tahir Md Azhar and former Deputy Rector (Academic Affairs), Professor Datuk Dr. Jamil Osman.
Prof. Datuk Dr. Md Tahir, the Founder Dean of the Kulliyyah of Medicine, has been serving IIUM for almost two decades in which he admits that “Those years will forever remain in heart one of the greatest highlights of my academic and professional life.”
As the Founder Dean of the Kuliyyah of Medicine back in 1995, he saw the first batch of medical students intake in 1997 and has since built a reputable Kulliyyah of Medicine with the support from the Government of Malaysia and IIUM. With his leadership, they obtained a full five-year Accreditation from the Medical Studies bodies which he claimed “…is indeed a rare achievement for a new medical faculty in Malaysia.”
The IIUM Medical Campus located in Kuantan has now become a full-blown medical and health-based and science-based campus offering various disciplines such as medicine pharmacy, dentistry, allied health sciences, and nursing that have been infused with Islamic and ethical components that are now accepted internationally, especially in the Islamic world.
From 2008 to 2015, Prof. Datuk Dr. Md Tahir was shifted to the IIUM main campus in Gombak to be the Deputy Rector (Academic and Planning) at the time of significant changes right after the university had established its position as a renowned Islamic university amongst universities across the globe.
Professor Datuk Dr. Jamil Osman, a prominent scholar and professor of Islamic economics, has been serving IIUM for 25 years. “To have been given the opportunity to serve the ummah at IIUM for more than two decades holding various positions and responsibilities will always be memories and experience I treasure for the rest of my life,” he proclaimed.
As the pioneer of Islamic banking and finance in Malaysia, Professor Datuk Dr. Jamil Osman is excited that the world today is witnessing a phenomenal growth in Islamic finance and Malaysia is working beyond its ability to make the country the hub of Islamic finance in this region.
He is proud that IIUM has come a long way in establishing a niche in offering comprehensive courses of international standard in Islamic finance with highly qualified lecturers and experts who are simultaneously consultants to various banks and financial institutions offering Islamic financial instruments.
IIUM is currently the key contributor when it comes to research and publication on various Islamic-centric financial and banking services, he admits, to have been blessed to contribute in making IIUM what it is today.***