ISTANBUL– A delegation from the Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law (MJSL), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), undertook a strategic and internationalisation visit to Istanbul, Turkey, from 11 to 18 September 2025.
The visit aimed to strengthen academic ties and explore collaborative opportunities with prominent Turkish universities. The MJSL is represented by three distinguished academics from the Faculty of Syariah and Law, who also serve on the MJSL editorial board: Dr Dina Imam Supaat, Associate Professor Dr Hendun Abd Rahman Shah, and Associate Professor Dr Noor Dzuhaidah Osman.
Their visit began with the International Discourse on Shariah and Law (Series 4/2025) at Istanbul University’s historic Beyazit Campus, which is recognised as one of the oldest universities in the world. The delegation was received by the Dean of the Law Faculty, Professor Fethi, who chaired the discourse, which was live-streamed via Zoom to give opportunities for both institutions’ members to participate. The discussion covered various aspects of laws, including Malaysian and Turkish law, Islamic law and international law, which were presented by the MJSL delegation and Dr Abdullah Islamoglu as the representative of the law faculty.
The discussion was followed by fruitful engagements with the editorial teams of the Faculty of Law journals, including the long-established Istanbul Law Review (IUHFM), Journal of Penal Law and Criminology (JPLC), Journal of Administrative Law and Sciences (JALAS), Istanbul Law Review for Comparative Law, Public and Private International Law Bulletin and Annales de la Faculté de Droit d’Istanbul.
The following day, the delegation held productive meetings with the team of the Darulfunun Ilahiyat Journal at the Ilahiyat Faculty, University of Istanbul, led by Professor Necmettin Kizilkaya, Chief Editor of the journal. Darulfunun ilahiyat is a Scopus-indexed journal founded in 1925.
The sharing of knowledge on editorial experience, academic publishing and opportunities for collaborative scholarship gives valuable insights to the delegation. The final destination of the delegation’s strategic visit took place at the Law Faculty, Bogazici University, where the delegation met with the Dean, Dr Hassan Basri Bulbul, and other faculty members, Dr Muzaffer Eroglu and Dr Ayse Didem Sezgin.
The primary objective of the strategic visit was to introduce and promote the Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, a key publication for USIM, to their international counterparts and explore opportunities for joint academic projects, research and publication. Beyond promoting the journal, the delegation actively engaged in promoting the broader academic offerings of USIM. They highlighted the numerous opportunities for international collaboration, including postgraduate research programmes at the master’s and PhD levels.
The team also extended invitations for academics to serve as journal reviewers and thesis examiners for USIM, fostering a global network of expertise as well as academic mobility, co-writers, and joint research. Apart from that, the team also promoted other programmes offered by the research unit in the Faculty of Law at USIM, including the Sulh and mediation training certificate, the international law unit and research on vulnerable groups, showcasing the university’s commitment to practical skills, professional development and a wide range of research areas.
The visit was a resounding success, laying a strong foundation for future collaboration and enhancing USIM’s presence on the international academic stage. The delegation’s efforts will undoubtedly contribute to the university’s ongoing internationalisation initiatives and establish valuable partnerships for the advancement of syariah and law studies. These engagements will inspire impactful publication, research and knowledge exchange in years to come.
