Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Proclaimed First Chancellor Of UIS

BANGI, July 19 (Bernama) -- Tengku Permaisuri Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, has been proclaimed as the first Chancellor of Universiti Islam Selangor (UIS).

The Letter of Appointment was officially conferred by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, during the university’s 27th Proclamation and Convocation Ceremony held in Kajang today.

Their Royal Highnesses arrived at the Dewan Sultan Idris Shah, UIS, at 9 am, accompanied by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.

Also in attendance were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Sultan Sharafuddin also presented Instruments of Appointment to Senator Datuk Salehuddin Saidin as Pro-Chancellor I and Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa as Pro-Chancellor II.

Meanwhile, in his royal address at the ceremony, Sultan Sharafuddin reminded students sponsored by the Selangor government and Lembaga Zakat Selangor (LZS) to first learn and master Arabic at local Islamic universities before pursuing studies in Middle Eastern institutions.

His Royal Highness stressed that this step is crucial to ensure students are well-prepared in terms of language proficiency and foundational knowledge.

On May 10, Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad announced via Facebook that the Selangor government and LZS would no longer sponsor undergraduate studies in the Middle East starting this year.

However, sponsorships for postgraduate studies at the master's and doctoral levels will continue.

Sultan Sharafuddin said the state government is now focusing its sponsorships on students at local Islamic universities such as UIS, as it believes these institutions are equally capable of providing high-quality education.

Sultan Sharafuddin added that he is aware that some parties, including many parents, disagree with and criticise this new policy.  

“However, I am of the view that, given the many religious schools established by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council and JAIS, which have shown strong academic performance and produced excellent students, it is only fitting that these outstanding students continue their studies at UIS, which we have established for that very purpose,” His Royal Highness said.

Sultan Sharafuddin also officially proclaimed UIS as a full-fledged university, now formally known as Universiti Islam Selangor, and named the university’s convention centre as Dewan Sultan Idris Shah.

During the event, the Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor presented scrolls to 50 postgraduate graduates, comprising 31 Doctor of Philosophy recipients and 19 Master’s degree graduates.

A total of 1,528 graduates across various academic levels are set to receive their scrolls during the convocation ceremony, which runs from today until July 21.

-- BERNAMA