Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF)

8 7 PREFACE IIUM has been growing rapidly since its establishment in 1983. And with any institution, the larger it becomes, the challenges and strategies vary, and the accompanying narratives also vary. The lessons and experiences that IIUM has gained along the way become a backdrop of who we want to be while maintaining our core identity. All these are put together in the Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF), as described in this volume. The main objective of SAF is to nurture holistic human beings who have been entrusted on us in a “ jami’ah insāniah ” environment. IIUM refuses to be the factory that “produces” simple minded mass productions who are only skilled at what they have been assembled for, void of human values and virtues. The curriculum has been carefully embedded with important elements, which have been carefully put together to ensure that values are being infused in all grains of knowledge imparted and shared by the scholars in IIUM. The planning and the implementation of SAF are guided by the IIUM’s vision and mission, the most pivotal one - the students’ growth in attitude, worldview, personal psychological well-being in a flourishing sustainable Islamic environment. The first guiding principle in the development and implementation of SAF is empowerment. The revisions in the curriculum took into consideration of the views and attitudes both the lecturers and students have of the old curriculum. This is a proof that the IIUM community is given the authority to make decisions and changes according to their own experiences. By doing this, redundant and outdated contents and methodologies are taken out, the “old” one is improved while also coming out with new ones. SAF pays a greater attention to create a flexible teaching and learning environment for the lecturers and students. Courses are revised and constructed with a space for modifications and further improvements. Flexibility encourages innovative thinking. Academics are motivated to adapt and adopt new ideas, methods for better products and outcomes at all levels. Having said that, everyone has the responsibility to justify their decisions and innovations that they have been empowered with. It is significant to highlight that decisions made regarding SAF is not made based on administrative and financial factors. We keep in mind that curriculum should be giving a meaningful and impactful teaching and learning experience for both lecturers and students. The adoption of SAF is a turning point towards the university’s Whole Institution Transformation (WIT). All agencies in the university must work together in ensuring the success of SAF. Without enhancements or transformation in the facilities and support systems, what has been planned will not be successfully executed. This volume is the beginning of that transformation. It is hoped that with the publication of this volume, the major roles of each one of us - both as the people and the agency - are made clear, and will drive all of us to reflect and re-work our activities, such that we will be able to deliver the transformational educational experience to all. The Office of Deputy Rector (Academic and Industrial Linkages, later renamed to Academic and Internationalisation) are committed to continue driving this initiative forward, but it can only successfully do so with the continued support of everyone in the University, not just the agencies reporting directly to the Office. We look forward to this continued support, may Allah bless this effort, and may we be able to nurture the khalīfah who will lead the future. This volume is already a testament of the commitment of so many people in the University, working together in addition to their already huge portfolio of work, but forging ahead to ensure that the University community not only has a framework to tie our major goals together, but a commitment that they will also be pushing this through together. This is a “work in progress” not in the sense this is unfinished, but a “work in progress” because we will never rest on our laurels, and there are always room for continual improvement, to keep offering the best that we can, and to be the best we can be. May Allah ease our way. PROF DR ISARJI HJ SARUDIN (DEPUTY RECTOR ACADEMIC & INDUSTRIAL LINK 2017-2020) PROF DR AHMAD FARIS ISMAIL (DEPUTY RECTOR ACADEMIC AND INTERNATIONALISATION 2020-CURRENT)