By Wan Eizzul Wan Zulkifli
GOMBAK, 2 July 2015: The annual iftar for postgraduate students organised by the Centre for Postgraduate Studies (CPS) was greeted by good  news of a change in policy to address all problems and issues related to postgraduate studies.
The change in policy was endorsed by the Rector, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin, as well as the IIUM’s management which will benefit the current postgraduate students as well as aimed to increase the number of applicants into postgraduate studies.
For the past five months, CPS has implemented a plan to better understand and resolve issues among postgraduate students that have been brought up by the Postgraduate Students’ Society (PGSS) and its president, Md. Sayed Uddin. CPS has discussed with various kulliyyahs and conducted a survey with current postgraduate students about the facilities and current situation of their studies and research.
Some of the issues brought up were related to programmes, fees and scholarships offered by IIUM. CPS has stated that IIUM benchmarks competitively with many other universities in Malaysia when it comes to postgraduate studies but there are rooms for improvement. The Rector has acknowledged many of these issues and has looked into all aspects from admission to graduation. Upon review, it was decided to renew certain standard operating procedures. thus a new policy has been endorsed by the senate of IIUM on 26 June.
The new policy that has been endorsed contained 45 items to better improve the state of postgraduate studies in IIUM. Some of the items include the amount of scholarship offered which will be increased from initial RM500,000 to two million ringgit in the upcoming semester. The increase in scholarship is to accommodate the increasing number of applications. Currently the number of applications are 300 with only 46 have been approved.
Following the announcement of the new policy by Prof. Dr. Abdi Omar Shuriye from the Centre of Postgraduate Studies, a short tazkirah was conducted by Dr. Habeeb Rahman Ibramsa who emphasised the evaluation of oneself approaching the halfway point during the month of Ramadan as well as the importance of praying in congregation. The tazkirah was concluded by the call for maghrib prayer and the breaking of the fast for which all postgraduate students along with their families enjoyed a wonderful meal together.***
