Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), through its Faculty of Islamic Economics and Finance (FEKIm), solidified its international standing by co-hosting the 12th ASEAN International Conference on Islamic Finance (AICIF) in Cagayan De Oro, Philippines recently. This year’s conference was hosted by Mindanao State University (MSU), Philippines.
Themed ‘Islamic Finance for Sustainable Peace and Development: Challenges and Opportunities’, the event brought together academics, Islamic finance experts and industry practitioners from across ASEAN member countries to discuss critical issues, challenges, and opportunities in Islamic finance.
The UNISSA delegation, led by FEKIm Dean Dr Muhammad Zaki bin Haji Zaini, included FEKIm’s Deputy Dean Dr Amni Suhailah Abarahan and Dr Kamaru Salam Yusof, who were invited as plenary speakers.
In his presentation, Dr Muhammad Zaki highlighted the role of Islamic social finance in supporting sustainability, focusing on ASEAN countries’ performance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. He also examined the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) and the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), emphasising how Islamic social finance can drive global agendas.
Meanwhile, Dr Amni Suhailah, discussed the role of Islamic capital markets in economic development, and Dr Kamaru Salam Yusof explored the potential and challenges of the halal business sector in the ASEAN region.
The conference also featured keynote addresses by prominent figures in Islamic finance, including President of the International Council for Islamic Finance Educators (ICIFE) Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Mohd Azmi Omar, Deputy Director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Atty Jehan Jehan A Lepail, and Executive Vice President of Maybank Philippines Rajagopal Ramasamy.
AICIF is hosted on a rotational basis by six ASEAN universities, including UNISSA, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universitas Islam Sultan Agung (UNISSULA), Universitas Darussalam Gontor (UNIDA), Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga (UINSUKA), and Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, with ICIFE Malaysia serving as the permanent secretariat.
Last year, UNISSA hosted the 11th AICIF, focusing on the role of Islamic finance in achieving the SDGs for 2030. UNISSA’s continued participation underscores its commitment to strengthening academic contributions to the global Islamic finance industry. AICIF remains a vital platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, driving Islamic finance as a tool for sustainable development. – Fadley Faisal
