| Rokiah Mahmud |
IT WAS a sweet moment of success for 182 graduates from Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), as they stood to receive their respective Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates from His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and the Chancellor of UNISSA, during the university’s 7th Hafl Al-Takharruj (Convocation Ceremony) yesterday.
Accompanying His Majesty to the ceremony at the International Convention Centre in Berakas was His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Pro-Chancellor of UNISSA.
The ceremony began with a recitation of verses 48 to 50 from Surah Al-Ma’idah, by Muhammad Hashim bin Abdullah, a Bachelor’s Degree graduate in Usuluddin Tafsir Hadith.
This was followed with a quotation from the Hadiths, read by Mohammad Marzuqi bin Sabtu, a graduate in Law and Syariah Law from the Bachelor’s Degree programme at UNISSA. The interpretation was read by Sheikh Husrin Jairul Azry bin Sheikh Hassan, also a Bachelor’s Degree graduate of Law and Syariah Law.
In his welcoming address, Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal, the Rector of UNISSA, said that the institution was first established a decade ago, with an initial intake of 107 students pursuing their studies in 10 programmes at four faculties.
“Currently, UNISSA has 1,096 students pursuing their studies in 37 academic programmes at five faculties and three centres of academic excellence, while at the same time experiencing an average increase of new students by 19 per cent annually,” he said.
“The number is expected to grow in the years to come, with the development of academic programmes involving more dynamic, relevant and flexible disciplines,” he added.
His Majesty then delivered a titah, and later officiated at the presentation of degrees, diplomas and certificates to this year’s batch of graduates.
Out of the 182 graduates at UNISSA’s 7th Convocation Ceremony, one received a Doctor of Philosophy; 38 received Master’s Degrees; six received Diplomas in the Islamic Law and Syar’ie Advocate programme; 14 received Post-Graduate Degrees; 98 graduated from the Bachelor’s Degree programme; three were awarded with a Special Degree (Ijazah Khas) in Al-Quran memorisation; two received a Higher National Diploma in Dirasat Islamiyyah; and 23 received a Barnamij At-Tarqiyah (Advancement Programme) and a Syariah Criminal Justice System Certificate. Four graduates, meanwhile, achieved First Class Honours: Najwa Izzati binti Haji Isa and Nur Hayati binti Haji Abas, from the Bachelor’s Degree programme in Arabic Language; Afeefah binti Haji Othman and Haji Othman from the Bachelor’s Degree programme of Science in Islamic Finance; and Nur Rahimah binti Brahim from the Bachelor’s Degree programme in Syariah (Fiqh and Usul).
For the second consecutive time, the Faculty of Syariah and Law has produced eight graduates in the Double Degree programme of a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and a Bachelor’s Degree in Syariah Law (LLB and BSL), requiring five years of studies.
Meanwhile, UNISSA is offering diverse programmes through its Halalan Tayyiban Research Centre and the Faculty of Islamic Development Management, as part of the national efforts to produce a well-educated populace in line with the country’s Vision 2035.
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