In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The Dean has been appointed, effective July 2012. He is a top-class scholar who is fluent in four languages. That is in itself rare, but he is also a veteran administrator.
Prof Dr Torla bin Hassan PSK is well-regarded among his peers, both locally and internationally, and commands the respect of IIUM’s academic and administrative community for his credentials and dedication to the university’s mission, vision and objectives.
Prof Torla has served IIUM both as a lecturer and administrator since 1984. He was the Dean of Science from the time the faculty was established until his appointment as the Dean of ISTAC in 2006. In 1995, he was sent to develop the pre-medical programme in Kuantan and then, in 1997, became the founding Dean of Laws and IRK at IIUM- KUSZA Terengganu. Earlier, while on secondment to Universiti Brunei Darussalam (1990 – 1995), he assumed the post of Deputy Dean of Student Affairs at UBD.
He brings with him a string of accolades as a scholar, including awards for research excellence as well as invention and innovation. He has published more than 40 papers in prestigious international scientific journals, including Physical Review Letters, arguably one of the most respected journals of the American Physical Society, thereby achieving a feat that is the lifelong dream of most of the world’s physicists. Prof Torla has also published textbooks in Arabic for IIUM’s students, and in the field of educational philosophy he has written for At-Tajdid, the flagship Arabic refereed journal of IIUM.
He is widely travelled, having gone all over the world, particularly to European countries, to present his research findings and participate in scientific conferences.
He also conducted post-graduate courses in Islamic jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh) for IIUM lecturers. He is a recognised authority in the subject, having studied at Al-Ma’had Al-Dini in Kuwait.
Prof Torla received his BSc and MSc from the University of Kuwait. At baccalaureate level, he majored in Physics and minored in Computer Science and Mathematical Statistics. After completing his Master’s degree in Nuclear and Molecular Physics, he joined IIUM and was subsequently sent to pursue his PhD, which he acquired at the University of Stirling in Scotland in 1987. The title of his doctoral thesis is “Tests of Quantum Mechanics versus Local Realism Using an Atomic Deuterium Source.” His supervisor for the thesis is the internationally renowned physicist Prof E. Merzbacher.
Prof Torla’s track record of strong leadership is expected to bring about positive changes to CFS. Certainly, his unique educational background and his well-known professionalism will enable him to lead CFS towards its objective of blending modern scientific methods and approaches to the traditional Islamic heritage.