Silaturrahim of IDB Scholarship Awardees at Bogor Agricultural University
50 (fifty) undergraduate students of the Muslim minority countries, awardees of Islamic Development Bank (IDB), came to attend the "1-Day Educational Development Seminar (EDS) in 1432", held at the Andi Hakim Nasoetion Meeting Room, Darmaga Campus, Bogor, on Saturday, 7 May 2011. Those students who are officially registered at IPB, University of Gajah Mada (UGM), UB (UB), State University of Surakarta (UNS), are from Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, and Republic of Vanuatu.
According to Kho Di Za, the awardee from Vietnam who pursue his study at Bogor Agricultural University, such kind of event is a routine held twice a year. While for Bogor Agricultural University, it was the first time for the University to host such seminar, said the Head of Sub Directorate of International Programs of the Directorate of International Relation and Cooperation Bogor Agricultural University, Dr.drh. Muhammad Agil, M.Sc.Agr.
The theme of this seminar is "Building Islamic Leadership: From Reading, Thinking and To Reorganize", and the Keynote Speaker was Prof. Didin Saefuddin Buchori, former Rector of the University of Ibn Khaldun (UIKA), Bogor, who currently faculty memberof the Graduate Program of UIKA. Other speakers were, Dr. Hasim, DEA., Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MIPA) whose paper was on "Leadership Lessons from the Prophet Muhammad and the Caliphs", and Ir. Muhammad Agus Setiana, M.Sc., the faculty member of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, who paper was on "Key Leadership Skills and How to Apply for Development". The two later presenters are from Bogor Agricultural University
While they were at the University, they were accompanied by the Honorary Students’ Counsellor of IDB for Scholarship Program for Indonesia, M. Fadhol Arovah-Maryadie, and Director of International Relation and Cooperation Programs of Bogor Agricultural University, Dr. Rinekso Soekmadi.
M. Fadhol Arovah-Maryadie stated that at the end of this seminar, the participants were expected to acquire the leadership skills for the development of Islamic society, as well as consicuousness that leadership will affect the community and economic development.
In the other session, Dr. Agil stated that the University has proposed the IDB officials in Indonesia to approve the request that IDB will provide further scholarships to enable the current IDB awardees who are at present pursue their undergraduate studies to pursue their graduate studies, both for Masteral and Doctoral degrees. Considering that the five countries are not members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), therefore, the University has proposed the plan stated Dr. Agil, Membership of OIC is 1 (one) the requirements for those who apply for scholarships for both Masteral and Doctoral degree program.
"According to the regulation, the IDB scholarship for Muslim communities from non-member countries of OIC, are for the undergraduate program only. Therefore, we propose that the IDB will also provide scholarships for graduate studies program for applicants from non-member countries of the OIC, "said Dr. Agil. (Wied).
