Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF)

112 111 Technology & Cyber-physical Spaces Human and Social Transformation ( Raḥmatan lil- ʿ Ā lamīn ) Spirituality & Post-Materialist Study Sustainability & Life-Sciences Technology & Cyberphysical Spaces Spirituality & Post-Materialist Study Human and Social Transformation (Rahmatan lil-alamin) Sustainability & Life-Sciences IIUM’s Tetrahedron Model The shared platforms become a basis to start a more organised collaboration and integration. Moving from an isolated perspective, academics in IIUM are starting to work in multidisciplinary projects which will then move towards a transdisciplinary approach in pushing the boundaries of knowledge toward convergence, creating new areas of knowledge and partnering that are integrated and holistic, providing solutions towards humankind in a seamless journey in humanising education. Most programmes have now adopted and offered free elective courses. A free elective course is a course open to all students in the University, is counted as part of the graduation audit, and is taken by students according to their choice, Value-added Electives Shared Platforms and Disciplinarities: Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Programmes and Projects. Another initiative that will also be made easier is inter-kulliyyah collaboration. These various forms of disciplinarities may apply to programmes of studies, and research and consultancy projects, pushing forward the goals of ultimately offering transdisciplinary studies and our long-existing goal of integration. The first level of collaboration is multidisciplinary - in which an issue is tackled from each area giving its own perspective on it. A more integrated approach is the interdisciplinary perspective - in which knowledge and methods from different disciplines are synthesised. a much more advanced approach in transdisciplinary - in which a new framework is developed beyond the disciplinary perspectives. The tetrahedron model is the adopted framework for collaboration which goes beyond the kulliyyahs , looking instead at the thrust of the areas of expertise, seeking a transdisciplinary approach. COMMUNITY CO-LEARNING (FORMAL+ INFORMAL) BEYOND CLASSROOM) The complex dynamics of global and local issues today have forced us to rethink and reevaluate our education system to remain relevant as higher education institutions. The constant change in the nature of issues on the ground demands us to be more involved and and reorient our curriculum to not merely gaining knowledge from the textbooks or journals, but taking the community and nature as the teacher. The curriculum now should be able to address not just ‘To Know’ in the UNESCO’s Pillars of Education, but extending until ‘To Be’, ’To Do’, ‘To Live together’ and finally ‘To become’. In order to address this need, the reorientation needs to include soft skills such as systemic thinking, transdisciplinary cognitive skills, leadership skills, and communication skills as these skills are deemed important to answer the issues. Unfortunately these skills are not fully taught in formal classrooms and not easily acquired in lecture halls or laboratory settings. These skills are usually gained in the informal settings of co-curriculum. Realising the dire need to change this orientation, thus it is beyond imperative that the role of ‘used-to-be’ informal learning get strengthened and embedded in the formal curriculum. IIUM in its journey to humanise education has decided to strengthen its curriculum through informal learning i.e community learning. This community co-learning isno longeranactivity tofill uptheweekendor voluntary innaturebut rather become the mainstream curriculum. As much as focus is given to producing students to achieve academic excellence, IIUM is more interested in shaping the students to achieve holistic excellence, an Insān Sejahtera who is balanced cognitively, emotionally, physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. A graduate who will use their knowledge and skills not just to get to the Dean’s list but to actually contribute to the betterment of society. Community learning is not totally new in IIUM. In fact, it has been in the system for more than 20 years. This is done through implementation of Study Circle or Usrah Budi which is part of university required courses. Usrah is an Arabic word literally translated to ‘family’, while Budi is a Malay word carrying the meaning of being courteous. The activity is popularly known as halaqah which carries a linguistic meaning of ‘circle’. As a whole, students and facilitators are to gather as a family to address contemporary issues, especially those related to sustainable development, in a very dynamic way. Part of the course is to actually go to the ground and participate in community engagement programs. not imposed on them. With the flexibility afforded by SAF, it is hoped that some of the courses will be extended to allow students to gain additional credentials. For example, the tilāwah courses could become part of a competency framework for tilāwah teaching certification, which interested and eligible students may embark on. These upskilling pathways could become a normal part of the IIUM learning experience in the near future, as we equip students with more specific skills that will enable them to cope well in the uncertainties plaguing the world at large.