On 16 October, a delegation from the Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten State Islamic university (Indonesia) visited the Bolgar Islamic academy. The guests included the rector of the university Vavan Vahyuddin, vice-rector for student affairs and co-operation Hidayatullah, director of postgraduate studies department Mamur Ilzamudin, deputy director of postgraduate studies department Tarichoran Nathan. The guests got acquainted with the scientific and educational activities of the academy, technical equipment of the educational institution, as well as visited the library and laboratory for restoration and digitisation of ancient manuscripts.

The main event of the visit of the delegation of the Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten State Islamic гniversity was the signing of a memorandum of understanding on co-operation in education, research and social activities. It is worth noting that the first working meeting to prepare the agreement was held online on 31 July. The document aims to promote the synergistic role of Islamic universities in the development of scientific disciplines in both countries, which also includes co-operation in research and joint implementation of research projects.

As rector of the Bolgar Islamic academy Farkhat Khusnutdinov noted in his conversation with the guests, one of the most important directions of the academy’s activity is cooperation with leading Russian and foreign secular and Islamic universities and scientific centers.

“We have strong, partnership relations with 42 higher education institutions. Within the framework of this co-operation, a number of scientific and educational activities will take place, academic mobility of teachers is encouraged, and scientific and educational internships for staff and students will be organized,” the rector stressed.

According to Farkhat Khusnutdinov, the views of the two educational institutions on Islamic education coincide.

“We are focused on preserving the combination of purely traditional approaches based on the Quran and Sunnah with academic methods that were adopted as early as our medieval scholars,” explained Farkhat Khusnutdinov, expressing hope for the active development of partnerships in creating joint educational programs and scientific cooperation.

In turn, the rector of the Indonesian university thanked for the warm welcome and noted the high level of equipment and educational programs of the academy.

“I hope that the agreement signed between our institutions will be the beginning of success. We will be very happy to see you, dear rector, staff and students at our university in Indonesia. Our immediate plans are to organize joint online lectures and educational programs,” Vavan Vahyuddin added.

During the meeting, the rector of the Indonesian university also delivered a lecture on “Islamic law in Indonesia” to the students and staff of the academy. During his speech, he spoke in more detail about the sources of law in Indonesia, with a special emphasis on the influence of Islamic law in the field of family relations.

“The policy of legal development in Indonesia should take into account the pluralism of the nation. Therefore, in the field of private law, especially family law, different types of laws should be applied in accordance with this pluralism. For example, marriage and inheritance laws cannot be harmonized and applied to everyone. For Muslims, the state adopts Islamic laws in this regard, which should be written in the law,” the Speaker explained.

At the end of the lecture, the rector of the Indonesian university said that by making Islamic values and principles something familiar, an Islamic society will be indirectly formed.

The students were also lectured by Mamur Ilzamudin, director of Postgraduate division of the university, and Tarichoran Nafan, deputy director of postgraduate division, who spoke about Islamic higher education in Indonesia and Islam and multiculturalism in the country.