By Ahmed Wafi Rashid
GOMBAK, 29 March 2015: The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) was recently honoured with a prestigious international award when it was proclaimed the recipient of the Islamic World Istanbul Science Award in the capital city of Pakistan in conjunction with an international conference organised by the Islamic States Think Tank Platform (ISTTP).
The award was handed to the university’s Rector, Prof. Datuk Sri Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin by the President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, in a ceremony attended by ambassadors and heads of missions from 40 countries, including Malaysia’s High Commissioner in Islamabad, Dr. Hasrul Sani Mujtabar.
Other categories of the awards are in the fields were diplomacy, business, science and technology, culture, art and sports. IIUM received the science award.
The ISTTP, a global organisation led by the Turkish Asian Centre for Strategic Studies (TASAM) intends to increase the prestige of the Islamic World and Muslims as well as to establish and strengthen Islamic identity while promoting the good name of Islam to the world audience.
Obviously, ISTTP gathers a large number of Muslim scholars from around the world to strengthen the bonds between Muslim countries and to nourish the brotherhood among Muslim states which has been lacking in recent years.
Prof. Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin who was present in Pakistan to receive the award was very grateful for the recognition given to IIUM and hoped that this university will continue to maintain its reputation as a premier Islamic university. She also believed that this award would help open the eyes of the world and recognise IIUM as a Global Islamic University.
Other than uplifting the name of IIUM, Prof. Dr. Zaleha believed that this award will elevate Malaysia in a better position in the academic world. “Surely, this award will only spur IIUM further to achieve greater things ahead,” she said.
ISTTP plans to make this award ceremony an annual event and everyone in IIUM hopes that IIUM and Malaysia will be seen at the grand stage in the next edition in 2016 and more years to come.***
Source of news: Utusan Malaysia, March 28, 2015
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