Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed received Her Excellency Prof. Dr. Nahla Al-Saeidi, Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for International Students’ Affairs, during a courtesy call held as part of her official visit to the Maldives.
The meeting reflected the Maldives’ continued efforts to expand international academic and institutional cooperation in Islamic education, scholarship and the development of religious knowledge. Discussions focused on areas of mutual interest, particularly opportunities to further strengthen engagement between Maldivian institutions and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, one of the world’s most prominent and longstanding centres of Islamic learning.
Minister Shaheem and Prof. Dr. Al-Saeidi exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in Islamic education and scholarly engagement, as well as strengthening opportunities that can contribute to the academic development of students. Particular attention was given to engagement with international students and the importance of creating educational environments that promote sound Islamic scholarship, intellectual development, moderation and constructive participation in society.
Prof. Dr. Nahla Al-Saeidi is a distinguished Egyptian academic and senior official of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif who serves as Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for International Students’ Affairs. Her responsibilities are closely connected to the academic and educational development of international students studying within Al-Azhar’s institutions, including initiatives aimed at strengthening educational programmes, student engagement and the preparation of international students to contribute positively to their respective communities and countries.
She has also played a leading role in Al-Azhar’s educational initiatives for students from across the world and has been closely involved in programmes supporting the teaching of Islamic sciences and Arabic to international students. Her work forms part of Al-Azhar’s wider international educational mission, through which students from a large number of countries pursue studies in Islamic sciences, Arabic language and other academic disciplines in Egypt.
Prof. Dr. Al-Saeidi is currently undertaking an official visit to the Maldives as a special guest of the International Conference on Intellectual Advancements 2026 (ICIA 2026), organised by the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM). Her participation brings significant international academic experience to the conference and further strengthens scholarly engagement between Maldivian academics and internationally recognised Islamic scholars and institutions.
The visit also provides an important platform for expanding academic dialogue between the Maldives and Egypt, particularly through Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, which has maintained an influential role in Islamic scholarship and the education of international students for generations. Maldivian students have historically benefited from opportunities to pursue Islamic and Arabic studies abroad, and closer institutional cooperation has the potential to further broaden opportunities for education, research, scholarly exchanges and professional development.
Under the Government’s continuing emphasis on strengthening Islamic education and developing the country’s religious and academic institutions, engagement with internationally respected institutions such as Al-Azhar is expected to contribute positively to the Maldives’ efforts to enhance the quality of Islamic scholarship and provide greater opportunities for students, scholars and educators.
The courtesy call underscored the shared interest of the Maldives and Al-Azhar in promoting knowledge, academic excellence and constructive intellectual engagement, while opening further avenues for cooperation between institutions in both countries. The discussions also highlighted the value of sustained international partnerships in preparing future generations of scholars and students with the knowledge, skills and values required to serve their communities effectively.
advertisment
advertisment
