Vice Chancellor’s Address to the Graduates

    Faith & Innovation: Guiding the Next Generation in an AI-Driven World

    A’udzu billahi mina shaitan rajeem (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم), Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem (بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ).

    Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu, Dear Graduates,

    I take this opportunity to issue a warm welcome to you, your family members, friends and peers of the International Open University. My heartfelt congratulations to all the graduates on your accomplishment. You are forever part of the IOU family, and I hope we will stay in touch. At IOU, we cherish our students and their successes.

    You have undoubtedly worked hard and demonstrated unwavering diligence and resilience over the years to earn yourselves a degree from IOU. I am confident that the attitude, knowledge and skills gained at IOU during your years with us, will surely place you in the forefront of the future leaders of the world at large.

    Graduates, I will take this opportunity to congratulate your families. They have been there for you throughout this journey. I implore you to continue working hard and develop your career to make them even prouder.

    You are entering a world where innovation is accelerating rapidly, and artificial intelligence is becoming woven into every aspect of life. In such a landscape, your greatest strength is not only your academic achievement but your ability to combine knowledge with faith.

    Innovation becomes meaningful only when it upholds dignity, fairness, and compassion — values deeply rooted in Islam. As you begin your professional journey, you carry with you the responsibility of shaping how technology serves humanity, especially the next generation.

    Let your decisions be guided by taqwa, your curiosity shaped by wisdom, and your skills directed towards benefit. May Allah grant you success in this world and the next, and may your contributions bring light to a world that urgently needs principled leadership.

    On behalf of the entire IOU community – our Governing Council, Global Senior Management Committee, Faculty, Administrators, Trustees, Students, and Alumni, I offer you best wishes as you go forth.


    —Prof. Makie Taal, Vice Chancellor