By Mohammad Saifullah
GOMBAK 21 March 2018: IIUM is a unique institution where we should produce something exclusive to show our own identity, said Deputy Rector (Research and Innovation), Prof. Dr. Rahmah Ahmad H. Osman.
The professor was delivering her talk “Developing Research and Innovative Culture: Prospect and Challenges” at the Intensive Integration of Knowledge Retreat for International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)-IIUM Scholarship Recipients, yesterday (20 March), at Kalumpang Resort and Training Centre, Hulu Selangor.
In her speech at the retreat session, Prof. Dr. Rahmah advised participants to write their research paper from Maqasid As Shariah, which means “whatever we do will be good for future and others”.
She said, “It is our responsibility to look from the different perspective to produce the best research that will make us different from others. This is also an amanah we will be questioned for.”
Prof. Dr. Rahmah shared the story of the QS ranking, how IIUM jumped from 46th to 31st place by only two weeks.
“We stopped sending our data to QS for the last few years, but they were collecting the data from internet and eventually they published IIUM in 46th place. After that, we restarted to send the data and by two weeks we jumped to 31st place on theology, divinity and religious studies.”
However, she said, with IIIT, IIUM wants to see our research flourish as our relationship is very strong.
“As Muslim ummah, we have a great history in the back as well as we are having problems now in many ways. Therefore, we must turn our problems into an opportunity.”
She gave an example how we can turn problems into an opportunity. “Let’s say IIUM is facing lack of research work to be published. Now, as students of IIUM, you should produce more and more research that’s how to turn the problems into an opportunity for IIUM.
“The same thing, if we publish more, people will cite us. If we do not publish the new research, we have to cite other’s work and the ranking will go down and that will not bring benefit to us.”
Prof. Rahmah reminded participants to look all over the world and share their research findings with the world. She said, “You just need to start, people will follow you.”
The four-day training camp was organised by IIIT (East and South East Asia) for IIIT-IIUM Scholarship Recipients. ***
