An Investment: Ayana Moon Scholarship MoA Signing and Award Ceremony

By, Elesa Zainal

GOMBAK, 17 January 2025: The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) hosted a significant ceremony marking the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the university and the Ayana Moon Foundation for the establishment of the Ayana Moon Scholarship program on 10 January, at IIUM Gombak.

In his welcoming remarks, IIUM Rector Prof. Emeritus Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar emphasized the importance of maintaining strong connections with alumni, recognizing their crucial role in the university’s development. He highlighted that 2025 would be a momentous year for the institution, with plans for a major alumni gathering to strengthen these bonds further.

Ayana Moon, representing her foundation, is from South Korea and is a Muslim revert and is a graduate in Political Science from IIUM, shared the vision behind the Ayana Moon Scholarship programme. She emphasized that the foundation was established based on strong values and a commitment to supporting education.

She intends to empower 10 IIUM needy female students through scholarships with a total fund of RM114,200.00 for AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws (AIKOL) and Kulliyyah of Engineering (KOE). The scholarship will cover the students tuition fee, recurrent fee and mahallah fee for four years of study.


During her remarks, Miss Ayana expressed her dedication to creating a strong support system for students. She articulated her belief that scholarships represent more than financial aid. They are more on investments in the future of education and society.

One of the student recipients, Ummu Sulaim, a students from AHAS KIRKHS said she was really grateful for being selected as one of the scholarship recipients since she had been hoping to earn a scholarship.

The ceremony culminated in the official signing of the MOA between Ayana Moon and IIUM, marking the formal establishment of the Ayana Moon Scholarship programme. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in providing educational opportunities for deserving students at IIUM. ***