CIEF and UniSZA Discussed Opportunities for Academic and Research Collaboration

The Center for Applied Research in Islamic Economics and Finance (CIEF) at Ibn Haldun University welcomed a delegation from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Malaysia, on September 7, 2026.

The UniSZA delegation included Dr. Nor Faridah Mat Nong, a faculty member and Industry-Academia-Entrepreneurship Coordinator at the Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies, and Mohd Zubir Awang. Ibn Haldun University was represented by CIEF Director Assist. Prof. Fatih Al, together with Salim Korkmaz and Hatice Ergüney from the International Office.

The meeting focused on opportunities to further develop academic cooperation between Ibn Haldun University and UniSZA under the Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 1, 2024, with an emphasis on translating the existing institutional relationship into more concrete and sustainable forms of collaboration.

The two sides discussed areas of shared academic and research interest across their respective units, with particular attention to Islamic economics and finance, Islamic social finance, and contemporary Islamic studies. They also considered ways of bringing together existing institutional capacities through joint research, academic activities, and researcher and student mobility.

CIEF additionally shared an overview of its developing Turkey-Malaysia research agenda, and both sides noted the potential value of connecting academics and research units with complementary interests as future opportunities for collaboration are explored.

The meeting concluded in a constructive and collegial spirit, with both sides expressing their interest in continuing discussions aimed at developing the existing institutional relationship through concrete academic and research activities.