KUALA LUMPUR: Islamic finance educators must work in collaboration with bankers to ensure their relevancy in the finance industry.
Higher Education Ministry deputy director-general Prof Dr Noor Azizi Ismail said that they should also explore creating dynamic partnerships with higher learning institutions and banking industry players.
He said this in his opening speech at the Islamic Finance Education Ecosystem and Quality Assurance symposium here, today.
"This forum is a platform to initiate more engaging discussion in the academic and financial services industries," he added.
The symposium, which was organised by the International Council of Islamic Finance Educators (Icife), was attended by academicians and Islamic bankers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Uganda and beyond.
Azizi said it is important for academicians to be conversant in the current business language used in banking.
"This is among the challenges that academicians (must face) to play a role as educators," he told participants and delegates of the symposium.
Meanwhile, Icife president Professor Dr Syed Musa Alhabshi said that the event is also a platform for academicians to make Islamic finance a part of the standard curriculum at all universities and training institutes.
"Today, we also hope to develop a talent database on educators, graduates and industry players in order to work closely to enhance the teaching curriculum.
"This inaugural symposium is also intended to create awareness and foster stronger linkages towards providing a robust and sustainable platform that promotes quality and sustainable human capital for Islamic finance," Alhabshi added.
The symposium also saw Icife signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with strategic partners such as the Finance Accreditation Agency (FAA); and the Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM) to launch a manual on Islamic finance for educators at all public and private universities.