The Executive Council of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) concluded its 22nd session yesterday evening at the headquarters of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, by adopting many decisions, reports and documents related to the promotion of the development of the Federation’s action, advancement of higher education in the Muslim world, development of partnership and cooperation between universities to support scientific advancement, and fostering of academic development in the Islamic world.
In this regard, the Council adopted the Draft Action Plan and Budget for 2019-2021. It also approved the Report of the Secretary General on the Activities of the Federation’s General Secretariat between the 21st and 22nd Sessions of the Executive Council; invited the Secretary General to pursue his efforts aimed at expanding the areas of cooperation and partnership with Member Universities, parallel federations, Islamic and international specialized organizations, and scientific research institutions in the fields of common interest; and urged Member Universities to provide further financial support and technical assistance to the FUIW General Secretariat in order to promote the Federation’s activities and increase the level of its programmes’ implementation.
In addition, the Council approved the Financial Report of the Secretary General and the Study of the Financial Situation of the Federation for the Years 2016 and 2017, commended the efforts exerted by the Secretary General to intensify communications with Member Universities to pay their subscription fees; thanked him for properly implementing the relevant decisions of the Executive Council’s successive sessions; and invited him to maintain contact with Member Universities having failed to pay their subscription fees.
The Council also extended its thanks to Member Universities which have paid their subscription fees to the Federation, and urged those having failed to settle their contributions or arrears to do so. Besides, the Council reaffirmed the previous decisions and resolutions of the Executive Council and the General Conference on the procedural facilitations regarding payment of arrears to the Federation; and invited Member Universities to benefit from such facilitations and coordinate with the Federation’s General Secretariat in this regard.
Moreover, the Council adopted the Report on the Project of the Islamic Virtual University (IVU), taking into consideration the remarks of the Council members, and commended the efforts of Al-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University to implement the measures on the establishment of the IVU. It also called for holding the first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the IVU so as to examine the practical steps for its launch, and approve its action plan, regulations and programmes; and agreed to add the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) as Member of the IVU’s Board of Trustees.
The Council further adopted the Report on the Implementation of the Performance Measurement Mechanism for the Universities of the Islamic World; commended the efforts exerted by the Islamic Body for Quality and Accreditation at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) to implement the Performance Measurement Mechanism in the Universities of the Islamic World; and recommended publicizing the Mechanism and encouraging its adoption and implementation among FUIW Member Universities. It also called for developing a databank of experts in the fields of quality and measurement of performance in the universities of the Islamic world to benefit from their expertise in training and qualification for Member Universities willing to apply the Mechanism; setting up a specialized committee to establish a ranking system on the basis of the achievements in this field; and recommending the General Conference to adopt it.
In addition, the Council adopted the Report on Tafahum Programme for the Exchange of Students, Researchers and Teachers, and invited universities to support the Programme and encourage the exchange of students, researchers and faculty; thanked the Member Universities having participated in the Programme’s three phases, and invited them to maintain their effective contribution to its implementation in the best conditions. Likewise, it thanked ISESCO for its good cooperation in the process of preparing and launching this Programme and following up its implementation; and called on Member Universities in the Gulf States to join this programme.
The Council adopted the Report on the Centre for Higher Education and Scientific Research Ethics, appointed the Members of the Centre’s Board of Administration from Pakistan, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Egypt, Nigeria, the Sudan, Uzbekistan and Morocco; and thanked Naïf Arab University for Security Sciences for hosting the Centre, providing the appropriate conditions necessary for its work, and cooperating with the Federation’s General Secretariat to achieve the Centre’s objectives.
Besides, the Council adopted the Launch of the Web-portal of the Network of Strategic Planning Experts in Member Universities; invited Member Universities to support the Network so as to contribute to achieving its objectives and encourage its activities and initiatives; and invited the Federation to intensify communication with Member Universities and the academic parties concerned to publicize the Network and enhance its role in developing the strategic planning mechanisms in Member Universities.
In addition, the Council adopted the Draft Statutes of the Leagues of Parallel Faculties, and invited Member Universities to respond to the initiative of creating the Leagues of Parallel Faculties, and join these Leagues. It also invited the Federation’s General Secretariat to publicize this document among Member Universities and enhance coordination with them to create the relevant leagues in the light of the priorities, needs and regulations in force; and recommended that Al-Quds University to host the League of Law Faculties in Member Universities.
The Council also adopted the Supplementary Form for Awarding University-Accredited Diplomas and processed the FUIW membership application forms submitted by universities and higher institutes. It also approved the suspension of the membership of the following universities: Alberta University, Canada; Cordoba University, United States of America; the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, Arab Republic of Egypt; International Islamic University Averroes, Spain; and Al-Arab Medical University in the State of Libya (now affiliated to Benghazi University). Besides, the Council adopted a decision on hosting the Academic Chair on Knowledge Economy by the Gulf University; invited ISESCO and the Federation to sign a cooperation agreement with the University to establish the Chair; recommended the establishment of a Chair on Al-Quds Studies at Al-Quds University; called on the Federation’s General Secretariat to publicize successful experiences achieved under the Programme of Academic Chairs; and urged Member Universities to host specialized academic chairs so as to promote knowledge training, encourage scientific research and anchor creativity and innovation.
The Council approved the establishment of the International Institute for Women and Justice at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM); invited the Federation to coordinate and cooperate with the University in publicizing the Institute, implementing its programmes and publishing the research and studies to be carried out therein; called on Member Universities to support such an initiative and create university courses and academic chairs to address relevant social and human issues; recommended the establishment of the Centre of Tolerance and Peaceful Coexistence to be hosted by the International Islamic University Islamabad; and mandated the University to prepare a proposal thereon to be submitted to the 8th General Conference for adoption.
The Council further approved the composition of the Bureau of the Executive Council appointing Al-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as Chair; the University of Sharjah, State of the United Arab Emirates; Russian Islamic University Ufa, Russian Federation; the University of Maroua, Republic of Cameroon, as Vice-Chairs; and Menoufia University, Arab Republic of Egypt, as Rapporteur.
The Council also agreed to submit the adopted reports and documents to the 8th session of the FUIW General Conference, to be held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in February 2019 for adoption.
In conclusion, further to the kind offer of the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to hold the 23rd session of the Federation’s Executive Council, the Council decided to hold the coming session in the last week of November 2019, in Sharjah.
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