A total of 2,629 graduands are being conferred their degrees at the 17th Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) Convocation Ceremony.
The event, which is held in Nilai, Negri Sembilan in five sessions from Nov 26 to 28, kicked off with the opening ceremony officiated by USIM chancellor Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud yesterday.
Out of 2,629 graduands, 95 are the recipients of Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD), 89 Master’s Degree, 136 Postgraduate Diploma and 2,309 Bachelor’s Degree. The PhD graduates this year are from 20 countries, including Libya, Jordan, Iraq, The Gambia, Egypt, Oman, Bangladesh and China. Libya earned the distinction of having the most PhD recipients at 24, while Oman was second at 21.
USIM’s convocation this year is themed “Graduates with Integrated Knowledge Lead Sustainable Development” in conjunction with the graduation of the first batch of the Bachelor of Islamic Banking and Finance with Honours programme from the Faculty of Economics and Muamalat.
Students from the programme, and all USIM graduands, are educated based on the basic principle that integrating religious sciences with social and physical sciences will not only provide a more comprehensive understanding of current global challenges, but also offer a fresh alternative approach in solving them. USIM graduates are moulded with this ethos, so that they are not only able to function as professionals effectively, but at the same time are ready to contribute and make a difference to society in the Islamic tradition.
Tuanku Aishah Rohani, in her speech, said USIM graduates had a significant role in society.
“One of the most important is to focus on sustainable development that is not limited to physical and social development, but spiritual as well. I see that graduates with integrated knowledge are people who will build themselves, their families and communities in an ever-expanding framework of Islam in their thinking and struggles,” she said.
“I am confident that USIM graduates will never be a liability to the community, but will also share their strengths for the benefit of the entire community. I remain positive that with the strength that USIM graduates have, they will remain relevant in today’s technological and modern advances, remain relevant in Malaysian society and remain significant in contributing to today’s and future society.”
During the opening of the convocation, Tuanku Aishah Rohani conferred an honorary PhD in Da’wah and Islamic Management to International Islamic University Malaysia rector Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak. Dzulkifli is the former chairman of USIM’s board of governance and the first holder of USIM’s Chair of Islamic Leadership and Principal Fellow at the Faculty of Leadership and Management.
USIM’s first registrar Addenan Abdul Rahman, who served the institution between 2000-2009 while it was still known as Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia (KUIM), was awarded an honorary Master’s Degree in Da’wah and Islamic Management. He was one of the founders of USIM / KUIM and worked with minimal resources during its early years.
Two students received the Anugerah Pelajaran DiRaja (Pingat Jaya Cemerlang), an award of oustanding excellence for their performance in studies and co-curriculum activities at both local and international levels. They are Nurul Mukminah Muhammad Suzuri, who graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Zati Nazifah Abdul Rahim, a Bachelor of Sunnah Studies with Information Management with Honours from the Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah Studies.
Sharifah Thahirah Syed Mustafa, who graduated with Bachelor of Arabic and Communication with Honours from the Faculty of Major Language Studies, and Idris Ismail, a doctorate graduate in Communications from the Faculty of Leadership and Management received the Anugerah Canselor award. Pingat Emas Naib Canselor went to Syafiqah Mohammad Rushdi, a graduate of Bachelor of Fiqh and Fatwa with Honours from the Faculty of Syariah and Law.
The USIM Convocation Ceremony is also being enlivened by the of USIM Convocation Festival at the Convocation Festival Site next to the Dewan Tuanku Canselor organised by the USIM Student Representative Council.