MOVING FURTHER FORWARD WITH "LANGKAHAN ISDEV"

“Langkahan ISDEV” was the title of ISDEV Monthly Tarbiyyah Pengarah (Director’s Tarbiyyah) delivered by ISDEV Director, Professor Dr. Muhammad Syukri Salleh. This time, the tarbiyyah took place on Friday, 13 May 2016 at Dewan Kuliah A, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The programme started at 9 a.m. with Dr. Fadzila Azni Ahmad serving as Chairperson throughout the entire programme. 

The slide presentation prepared by Prof. Syukri showing the 3 great strides ISDEV have partaken.

Without wasting time, Prof. Syukri started the Tarbiyyah Pengarah by recalling ISDEV beginnings which started only with the status of a research project. However with only a few years and with the many successes that ISDEV have achieved, ISDEV gained the status of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in 2014 simultaneously setting a target to be a regional and international reference centre in the near future.

According to Prof. Syukri, these successes were achieved through a variety of ways. Among them is through internationalisation within ISDEV itself. If ISDEV wants to achieve its goal of becoming a regional referral centre, then it should start at ISDEV. Such a start included ISDEV's ability to take in academic staff, students and guests such as Visiting Professor to work hand-in-hand in spearheading ISDEV to its objective. In addition to this, academic visitations that are organized by ISDEV, collaborations with various institutions and forging closer ukhuwwah amongst ISDEV alumni are also used as a step towards ISDEV internationalisation.

Prof. Syukri addressing ISDEV members during the monthly Tarbiyyah Pengarah.

These achievements have already been proven through various parties. Many collaborations, visiting staff, students and guests in attendance at ISDEV are able to materialize due to the internationalization stride from both internal and external aspects of ISDEV. For example, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia (UIM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) are steps in the internationalization of ISDEV within Malaysia, while institutions such as Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Brunei Darsussalam (UNISSA), Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU), Universitas Medan Area (UMA), fellows from Pakistan, guests form Norway are some of the steps taken to thrust ISDEV beyond Malaysia towards global internationalization.

Happy Teachers' Day to all ISDEV lecturers.

Prof. Syukri also reminded that in order to realize the goal of ISDEV becoming a regional and international referral centre, "Langkahan ISDEV" (ISDEV Milepost) should be adopted. However, each of these strides will be successful if ISDEV members play their respective roles. ISDEV members must be knowledgeable, innovative in thinking, always conscious of their physical appearance, characters, faith and obedience. If all of these values are applied, in shaa Allah ISDEV will continue to create successes, be recognized and achieves the goal of becoming a regional and international reference centre.

Celebrating Teachers' Day together - Prof. Syukri (right) jesting with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zakaria (left).

Meanwhile, just after Prof. Syukri ended the Tarbiyyah Pengarah, ABI members (ISDEV Associate Members) came out with a surprise specially dedicated to him and generally to other ISDEV lecturers as well in conjunction with Teachers' Day celebration that falls on 16 May every year. A simple multimedia presentation about Prof. Syukri was aired and everyone was amazed with the production made by ABI. As a symbolic gesture to this celebration, Prof. Syukri was invited, as well as the other seven ISDEV lecturers , to cut the pulut kuning.

One of ISDEV students, sad and in tears on the recent demise of Allahyarham Dr. Kasyful Mahali when
Prof. Syukri made a special mention on Allahyarham who had magnanimously served ISDEV. 

At the same time, even though everyone was in a cheerful mood and ambience, Prof. Syukri took the opportunity to invite everyone present to recite al-fathihah for ISDEV Alumni, Allahyarham Dr. Kasyful Mahali who had just passed away on 9 May 2016.