INHART AT A GLANCE

The International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART) was established at the International Islamic University Malaysia by IIUM Senate (March 2011) and IIUM Majlis (April 2011) and received approval from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia in August 2011. INHART is a centre of excellence at the university level and strives to be a renowned entity at the national level and the international arena in the near future. INHART history begins with the establishment of a special centre dedicated to halal industry – “IIUM Halal Industry Research Centre (HIRCen)” in July 2006. Prior to the birth of this centre, there were already pockets of activities related to the halal and halal industry by academic staff from various Kulliyyahs. But with HIRCen, halal-related activities at IIUM become more focused and better coordinated with the Research Management Centre becoming the monitoring body.

Like its HIRCen predecessor, the objective of the establishment of INHART is to provide a platform for IIUM to assist in fulfilling the Government of Malaysia aspiration to put Malaysia as the global halal hub through INHART’s long-term education (undergraduates and postgraduates academic programmes) and specialised short-term training programmes as well as Shari’ah-compliant services. INHART aims to train future leaders in the halal industry arena as well as to provide the required well-trained and responsible human resource needs of a sustainable halal industry related to research, development, innovation and commercialisation of halal and toyyib products (food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care and other consumer products) as well as various shari’ah-compliant service industries like tourism and hospitality.