ISDEV 10TH ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES ON CONTEMPORARY ISLAM IN MALAYSIA FOR AGDER UNIVERSITY, NORWAY

A group photo - ISDEV members with the Norwegian Undergraduate Students from Agder University 

On 30 January, 2018, 25 undergraduate students from Agder University, Norway were at ISDEV to participate in the 10th Annual Lecture Series on Contemporary Islam in Malaysia. They were led by Professor Dr. Levi Geir Eidhamar. It was an annual occasion resulting from the signing of an MoU between ISDEV and the Agder University. ISDEV Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zakaria Bahari with Dr. Shahir Akram Hassan served as Chairman of the programme. The programme took place at Lecture Hall A (DKA), USM. 

Dr. Shaik Abdullah Hassan Mydin and En Noor Muhamed Mohd Yousuf in action for the talk

The session was divided into two parts. The first session started with the topic on "Life After Death" delivered by Dr. Shaik Abdullah Hassan Mydin from the School of Distance Education, USM while the second session was delivered by Encik Noor Muhamed Mohd Yousuf, a member of IPSI (Islamic Propagation Society International) on "The Allah's Name Controversy and Bumiputera Privilege". 

(Left) Prof. Levi presenting his view point during the Q&A session, (Right) Prof Levi received a small 'keris' from En Noor Muhamed

The Q & A session was a truly lively and vibrant. Almost all the undergraduate Norwegian students at DKA were keen to get more details on the points shared by the two speakers. Coming from a well-developed country with a conventional development paradigm, where Muslims are a minority, these students really took the opportunity to clear the air about their views on Islam and the Muslims.

The Arrival of the 25 undergraduate students from Agder University, Norway

Happy faces of friendship bond between ISDEV students and Agder University students

Overall, the programme had indeed provided satisfactory information to their queries and apprehensiveness pertaining to the two issues tackled by both speakers. Prof. Levi expressed his ardent hopes that he is able to return to USM with a new batch of students from Adger University next year!

Ukhuwwah and networking session between ISDEV and Agder University Lectures