Vice Chancellor’s Message

Abstract

It is a great pleasure to be part of this fine institution, The International Open University (IOU). The IOU is a center of excellence that provides quality higher education to the Ummah through teaching, research and community development.

The main objective of the university is to provide higher education that exceeds the global standard. The backbone of the university is formed with highly experienced and qualified faculty members that continuously engage in the maintenance and enhancement of a student-centered learning environment through innovative pedagogy.

As a center of excellence, our focus is on creating an optimized platform for knowledge enhancement to bridge the gap between academia and Islamic Sciences. Our objective is to build up core competence in students to help them integrate knowledge with skills, based on a foundation of Islamic ethics.

In light of this, the very first publication of the Journal of Integrated Sciences (JIS) represents a momentous and important leap towards the global recognition of the university given its international status. The state of higher education has witnessed a significant change in approach and remarkable growth around the world. The International Open University (IOU) has readily adapted to the global demand. It has geared up to face challenges using an Islamic lens to transmit knowledge to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

In our first publication, we have chosen to focus on inter-disciplinary studies, research based and interactive learning through Islamic integration, spiritual reflections of the Qur’an and the Islamic perspective on important issues, such as mental health.

Our first publication is open to all departments, IOU Staff and students alike, and even non-academic staff to seek more knowledge, research and reflect on current and future challenges.

We sincerely hope to live up to the aspirations of all our stakeholders – students, parents and the employers of the graduates and postgraduates of IOU through this publication.

Jazaak Allahu khairan