The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) marked its 40th anniversary with a special dinner event in Kuala Lumpur on 29 September 2025 in a tribute to Malaysia’s and Asia’s close rapport with the Centre especially in the development of Islamic finance.
The Malaysian event followed the main anniversary ceremony to mark the year-long celebrations, which was graced by His Majesty King Charles III who is Patron of OCIS, in Oxford on 17 July of this year.
OCIS was set up in 1985 to promote a more informed understanding of Islam and the Muslim world by means of scholarship and international academic cooperation. Based in Oxford, United Kingdom, the international outreach of the OCIS has been extended to Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah, the Sultan of Perak and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of OCIS, hosted the dinner in honour of the Trustees and other dignitaries.
In his message in the book Malaysia and the Centre, Sultan Nazrin Shah said he was proud that Malaysia has been closely associated with OCIS.
“Many of my Royal colleagues have visited it, and successive prime ministers have lectured there,” he said. “Malaysia is physically represented at the Centre by the beautiful Malaysia Auditorium.”
“Many fellowships are named after distinguished individuals from this country. Academic partnerships have been created between scholars in Malaysia and Oxford,” he said.
OCIS fellowships are named after distinguished personalities from around the world. Amongst them are prominent public figures from Malaysia such as: Sultan Azlan Shah; Sultan Nazrin Shah; Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Mahathir, Tan Sri Mohammed Noah and Tan Sri Azman Hashim. The Albukhary Foundation and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have also supported the Fellowship Programme at the Centre.
Sultan Nazrin said to mark the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, OCIS and Khazanah Nasional set up the Merdeka Scholarships, which have enabled many Malaysians to study at Oxford.
He also said the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has been having a much-valued annual roundtable in Islamic finance with the OCIS for the past 16 years. Malaysia is a global leader in Islamic finance.
Besides the SC-OCIS Roundtable, both sides also supported the SC-OCIS Scholar in Residence Fellowship Programme.
Also attended the dinner were the 11th President of the Republic of Türkiye Dr Abdullah Gül and the 10th Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Dr Mohammed Al-Sabah.
Others included Yang di-Pertua Negeri Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Abang Openg, former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Md Yasin, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia Dato' Sri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, Chairman of the Securities Commission Malaysia Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Cabinet ministers, ambassadors, corporate figures, muftis and scholars.
