Higher Education Minister of Afghanistan, H.E. Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid and his delegates visited IIUM on 25^th July 2012. Among them were his deputy Dr. A. Rahim Hussainiyan and Ambassador of Afghanistan to Malaysia, H.E. Abdul Samad Samad. 

Afghanistan’s Minister of Higher Education, H.E. Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid visits IIUM

Thirty five years of instability and uncertainty had precluded this hilly and arid but picturesque north central Asian nation of  Afghanistan  the provision of a planned and proper tertiary education for its younger population.  The vacuum left by more than three decades of strife had prompted Afghanistan’s Minister of Higher Education, H.E. Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid  to visit IIUM, the purpose of which is to secure the cooperation of this world-renowned International Islamic Univeristy to  provide tertiary level education and training to its youths.  

Prof. Dr. Obaidullah was accompanied by Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Malaysia, H.E. Mr. Abdul Samad Samad and a delegation of four top officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry for Higher Education apart from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Medical Faculty of Kabul University.

“I have heard so much about the International Islamic University of Malaysia.  I am left with much awe and admiration after seeing for myself this wonderful and great university.  As a muslim, I am very proud of IIUM.   We send our students to India and Turkey for higher education.  Now we are ready to send our students to IIUM in Malaysia”, stressed Prof. Dr. Obaidullah.   He made this statement at a meeting and discussion session with IIUM’s Rector, Prof. Dato Sri Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin, and other IIUM officials.  The discussion was held at IIUM’s Senate room on Wednesday (25th July).   The meeting was also informed that out of 41,000 Afghan youths who underwent stringent selection processes including specific exams, 530 were chosen because they met the grades set.  The 530 students are ready to be sent to IIUM and elsewhere, according to Prof. Dr. Obaidullah.

IIUM, said Prof. Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin, fully understood the plight of the Afghan youths and is ever willing to assist and work on an agreement  to impart knowledge and skills to students in specific areas of study.  However,  she stressed that the new students from Afghanistan would have to meet up with the expected high requirements of the university before being admitted for tertiary level education.  “We can provide initial exposure and launching pad through our Centre for Foundation Studies and CELPAD (Centre for Language & Pre-University Academic Department).  Having gone through the foundation level, the Afghan students will then be in a better position to proceed to first year studies at first degree level”, she said.

The Agreement which is expected to be drawn up within two weeks, will cover a comprehensive arrangememt  that will see IIUM being at the forefront in the provision of tertiary level education and training in specific areas of study particularly in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, economics and management, islamic banking and finance, traditional and new media journalism and mass communication, electrical and electronics engineering, architecture, and psychology, among others.

Meanwhile, Prof. Obaidullah also took time off to speak to six teaching staff members of IIUM who are from Afghanistan and held discussions with about 50 IIUM students from that country.  There are 76 students from Afghanistan who are currently studying at IIUM.   Dr. Obaidullah’s visit to IIUM was coordinated by the university’s Internationalisaton & Industry and Community Relations Division under Deputy Rector, Prof. Dr. Abdelaziz Berghout.            

IIUM Rector, Prof. Dato Sri Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin and Deputy Rector (Internationalisation & Industry and Community Relations), Prof. Dr. Abdelaziz Berghout, welcoming Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid (far left) to the IIUM campus. 

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education senior officers (left) in a strategic discussion

with IIUM Rector, Prof. Dato Sri Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin and university off    icials (25 July) . 

In serious discussion....Afghanistan’s Minister for Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid (2nd from left) with his deputy, Dr. A. Rahim Hussainiyan, (far left), and H.E. Mr. Abdul Samad Samad, Ambassador of Afghanistan to Malaysia (2nd from right). 

From the bottom of my heart.....Prof. Dr. Obaidullah presenting a momento to IIUM Rector, Prof. Dato Sri Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin during his visit and subsequent meeting at IIUM (26th July). 

Rector, Prof. Dr. Zaleha (centre), with Afghan students currently pursuing higher studies at IIUM.