In a move poised to strengthen academic ties, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 2nd September 2025. The agreement, formalised at a ceremony held at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC) in Kuala Lumpur, establishes a framework for extensive collaboration in several key areas, including student and staff exchanges, joint research, and academic publications.
The MoU was signed by UBD Vice-Chancellor Dr Hazri Haji Kifle and IIUM Rector Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Osman Bakar. The ceremony was witnessed by Malaysia’s Minister of Higher Education, Yang Berhormat Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir on behalf Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim alongside senior officials and academics from both institutions.
This new partnership is expected to create new opportunities for students and researchers, leveraging the unique strengths of both Universities.
The ceremony also launched a new book, ‘Education of The Interior: Essays in Honour of Professor Syed Ali Ashraf.’ The volume was edited by Shaikh Abdul Mabud, an Associate Professor at UBD’s Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS).
This illuminating book honours the legacy of Professor Dr Syed Ali Ashraf (1924–1998) as a pioneering educator and scholar, literary critic, and first Director of Islamic Studies at the University Cambridge. It is the first comprehensive English-language tribute to him, exploring his educational philosophy and featuring reflections from friends, former students, and globally respected scholars.
Notable contributors include IIUM Rector Professor Dr Osman Bakar and Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whose afterword highlights Professor Dr Syed Ali Ashraf’s enduring influence on the Muslim world and beyond. The foreword was written by Professor Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr, a University Professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University. This work of intellectual and spiritual depth is considered an invaluable addition to contemporary Islamic thought.