Egypt's Al-Azhar to open first global branch in Malaysia

Egypt's renowned Al-Azhar University, one of the oldest Islamic varsities in the world, will open its first international branch campus in Malaysia.
A decision on the branch campus, to be opened in September next year, was reached during a meeting between Malaysian representatives and the university rectors recently, Malaysia's Education Minister Idris Jusoh has said.
Several Malaysian students go to Cairo every year to study in Al-Azhar University, the highest seat of learning in Sunni Islam.
Idris, however, said that the university would take only 300 students for its first batch, with only three courses available: Usuluddin, Shariah and Arabic.

A joint committee comprising representatives from the Education Ministry and the university had been formed to discuss further plans to set up the branch campus, which will be named the Al-Azhar Tuanku Mukhriz University, he added.
Idris said it was an honour for Malaysia to be chosen as the location for the university's first international campus.