International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Communiversity – Actioning for diversity, equity and inclusion in the community

International Islamic University Malaysia is committed in its effort of bringing back the role of universities as agents of change in addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in society. In the realisation of this aspiration, the university has introduced a new compulsory course Usrah in Action (UIA), which requires the students to immerse in the community through profiling and situational analysis and subsequently implement a need-based solution project to address the issues faced by the community.

The projects conducted as part of the course are diverse, covering all of the Sustainable Development Goals. Throughout the two years of its implementation, we managed to showcase 217 community engagement projects on the ground, involving 5,195 students and 250 voluntary instructors, reaching the heart of local communities. These projects address environment, economic and social issues with targeting various communities such as the indigenous, marginalised, single mothers, youth, refugees, school students, and many more where issue of DEI are deeply seated. 

Top 3 Learnings

1. We learnt that diversity, equity, and inclusivity are not subject for discourse but for action.
2. We need to be immersed in the diversity, equity, and inclusivity dynamic to fully understand the right action to address issues.
3. Diversity, equity, and inclusivity are not just issues to be address but diversity, equity, and inclusivity itself is the whole community approach to address the issues.