ISLAMABAD: The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) has approved IIUI Strategic Plan (2022–2026), emphasising academic excellence, research expansion and institutional growth.

This was stated by IIUI in a press release on Tuesday a day after the BoT meeting, which was held in Saudi Arabia. However, the press release did not share further information about the said strategic plan.

Meanwhile, in official press release, there is no mention regarding appointment of new president IIUI as the seat has been lying vacant since July this year. However, some officials of the university have been claiming that BoT has formed a committee to look into the issue of appointment of new IIUI president.

Meanwhile, the IIUI statement said 16th session of BoT was held at Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh. The meeting evaluated decisions made in previous meetings, approved the strategic plan and set the university’s vision for the next five years.

It said with a mix of in-person and virtual attendance, the session reiterated IIUI’s commitment to advancing academic excellence and consolidating its global standing.

The session was chaired by Prof Dr Ahmad Salem Mohammad Al-Ameri, Pro-Chancellor of IIUI and Rector of Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University.

Expressing gratitude to the president and IIUI Chancellor Asif Ali Zardari, for entrusting him with this responsibility, Prof Dr Al-Ameri lauded IIUI’s contributions to Pakistan and the Muslim world.

He emphasised the need for collective efforts to elevate IIUI into the ranks of leading global universities and expressed optimism about addressing institutional challenges and promoting progress.

The board deliberated on the implementation status of decisions from the 14th and 15th BOT meetings, held on June 30, 2020, and December 11, 2023, respectively.

Those who attended included Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki; Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Isesco) Dr Salem Mohammed Al-Malik, President of Umul Qura University, Makkah, Prof Dr Moaddi Mohammed Al-Madhib; President of the Islamic University of Madina Dr Saleh bin Ali Al-Aqla, chairman of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan/Rector IIUI Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and the acting IIUI president Prof Dr Ahmed Shuja Syed.

According to IIUI, virtual participants included esteemed figures such as Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, Chief Justice, Federal Shariat Court, Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rahman, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amna Baloch; Dr Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Esa, Secretary General of Rabita Al-Alam Al-Islami and chairman of the League of Islamic Universities; Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Osman Bakar, President of the International Islamic University Malaysia; Prof Dr Mohamed Sami Abdel-Sadeq, President of Cairo University; Prof Dr Salama Gomaa Daoud, President of Al-Azhar University; and Hissein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

The IIUI delegation, led by Rector Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and acting president Prof Dr Ahmed Shuja Syed expressed heartfelt appreciation for the hospitality of Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University. The delegation commended the host university’s unwavering support in promoting collaboration and advancing the shared vision of academic excellence.

The press release said the IIUI established in 1980 with the support of several Islamic countries and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), stands as one of Pakistan’s premier educational institutions. The university offers a diverse range of programmes across 11 faculties, including Arabic, Islamic Studies, Social Sciences, Sharia and Law, Engineering, Computer Science, and Management Sciences. Renowned for its academic excellence and cultural diversity, IIUI has become a leading hub for higher education in the country.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024