By Danial Yusof
GOMBAK, 6 November 2020: The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and the Saudi Centre for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in a ceremony organised via Zoom platform today.
Present at the ceremony were the university’s President, Datuk Dr. Mohd Daud Bakar accompanied by the Rector, Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.
Also present were Prof. Dr. Ahmad Faris Ismail, Covering Deputy Rector (Internationalization and Global Network), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Hasan, Deputy Rector (Student Development and Community Engagement), Saudi Arabian Ambassador, Dr. Hamed Hassan Merah, CEO SCCA and delegates from IIUM and SCCA.
The MOU signing ceremony is significant to both parties to strengthen the Islamic finance in the Muslim world. Among the partners that will be working closely with SCCA are Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws (AIKOL), Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences (KENMS), and IIUM World Debate and Oratory Centre (IWON) in working towards research and development in Islamic finance.
The Rector expressed his gratitude towards the relationship built which will bring benefits to both parties particularly in academic, workshop, training and educational programmes for academic staff and students.
“It is a platform for teaching and learning for IIUM students, and thus bringing IIUM forward to sustain its relevance especially in this COVID-19 era,” he said.
The Rector further said: “The mutual understanding is always welcomed and it is hoped that this MOU will be alive, which can bring other dimensions into curriculum and will benefit Muslims around the world.”
According to the President, the university is ambitious to be the top university in the Muslim world.
“I am looking forward to this potential and impactful MOU involving these two finance market, since Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are amongst the biggest financial market in the world,” he said.
“With this MOU, we would help to grow our academics in facing the challenges in the industry and thus solve the financial difficulties happening mainly in the Muslim countries,” the President added.
According to the Saudi Arabian Ambassador, this MOU is important for SCCA, and for a start, SCCA has taken the initiative to work closely with IIUM as an academic institution which can provide intellectuals in managing Islamic finance.
“Through SCCA, Islamic finance has spread to Europe and Asia which has gone internationally and will finance various projects including in Malaysia and around the globe,” he said.
“IIUM is believed to be the best platform to bring the agenda and provide all the necessary expertise needed towards the betterment of Islamic finance in the world,” he added.***