Turning Dreams into Reality, UIII and UNDP Collaborates to Fulfill Sustainable Development Goals

June 15, 2021

Uiii.ac.id: Jakarta – Norimasa Shimomura, the Resident Representative of UNDP Indonesia and Komaruddin Hidayat, the Rector of UIII signed the Memorandum of Understanding to establish a cooperation between the two institutions, on Monday, June 14, 2021 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Jakarta.

This event was intended to set out the collaboration responding to several strategic issues related to the Muslim society worldwide, particularly in Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development Goals. A university-based research center is expected to be built to tackle the challenges while accelerating the development of Islamic Finance and its impact both domestically and internationally.

The UIII Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Dian Masyita, welcomed the audience with an opening speech addressing on how the Covid-19 Pandemic has severely damaged the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“Islamic commercial and social finance would play an integral part of the national solution for tackling the issues and the pandemic impact,” she explained.

The Dean continued to express her gratitude towards the Head of Innovative Financing Lab of UNDP Indonesia, Muhammad Didi Hardiana who attended the event as well. Norimasa Shimomura reaffirmed that the UNDP will be committed to maximize the opportunity of UIII to leverage Islamic Finance in support of SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Komaruddin explained how SDGs are to some extent a part of Muslim religious duties that become universal values and principles.

“Now, it is time for us to apply these values in our Islamic financial industry to improve its green financing, enhance its opening job opportunities, reach its services to rural areas, and expand its product to accommodate disadvantaged groups in society,” said the Rector of UIII.

Both institutions are grateful that the cooperation is finally becoming a reality as this Memorandum of Understanding was signed, and hopefully the extensive research in Islamic Finance that would promote Economic Growth in developing countries would soon follow.