Rector
Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’
Dzulkifli Abdul Razak (or for short, Dzul) is currently the Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia. He was the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from 2000-2011. He is the immediate past president of the International Association of Universities (IAU), a UNESCO-affiliated organisation, based in Paris. He was the Convenor of the Regional Centre for Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development based in USM beginning 2005. Dzul was awarded the prestigious 2017 Gilbert Medal by Universitas 21 in recognition of “his long term commitment to a sustainable approach to international higher education.” He is a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (FASc), the World Academy of Art and Science (FWAAS) and the World Academy of Islamic Management (FWAIM).
Dzul was an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham from 2014 until August 2020, and more recently appointed Senior Advisor at Asia-Europe Institute (AEI), UM. He is also the Co-Chair of Right Livelihood College Steering Committee based at University of Bonn, and an Advisory Board Member, Institute of Sustainable Development and Learning at Leuphana University of Lueneburg, Germany from June 2019. He was an invited speaker at The 2015 Nobel Dialogue in Sweden. In October 2020, he was appointed as a member of Qatar Foundation Higher Education Strategy Advisory Panel. Besides, Dzul is also a member of the Academic Network for Development Dialogue (ANDD), World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) and National Digital Economy & Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Council. In February 2021, he was invited to serve as an Expert for the Futures of Higher Education Project at UNESCO’s Institute for Higher Education (IESALC).
Dzul was awarded the 2017 Tokoh Akademik Negara (National Academic Laureate) and recipient of number of Honorary Doctorate from various international universities. Locally, in October 2018, he was conferred Professor Emeritus by USM, whilst in November 2019, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) conferred him an Honorary Doctorate of Dakwah and Islamic Management in recognition of his efforts in widening the dimensions of dakwah through various research and leadership while serving at the University. In addition, the Government of Japan, in recognition of his contribution to the academic collaboration and exchanges between the two nations has conferred him “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” in September 2019.
Since 1995 Dzul writes weekly Op-Ed columns for Malaysia’s dailies especially, The New Straits Times.
Prof. Emeritus Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar
Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar, was appointed as the 7th Rector of IIUM on 23 September 2024.
His remarkable academic and intellectual journey spans decades of contributions to Islamic philosophy and science. Born on December 18, 1946, in Kg Bukit Lada, Pahang, he began his early education in local schools before advancing to the prestigious Malay College Kuala Kangsar. His pursuit of knowledge took him to the University of London, where he earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mathematics, followed by a PhD in Islamic philosophy of science and theology from Temple University, USA.
Professor Osman’s scholarly contributions are vast. He has taught at renowned institutions such as University Malaya, Georgetown University, and University Brunei Darussalam, covering subjects ranging from the history of science to Islamic civilisation. His research interests are reflected in the 39 different courses he has taught over the span of 45 years, nurturing minds across the world.
Among his many distinguished roles, he is the current Al-Ghazzali Chair of Islamic Thought at ISTAC-IIUM and the Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Science at Universiti Malaya.