Short biography Dr. Mohammad Ismath Ramzy is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundation & Humanities, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya (UM), Kuala Lumpur. He has more than 10 year’s experience in teaching, research and Academic thesis supervision He is the Chair of Education for Humanism and Social Advancement Research Centre (EHSAn), Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya, and he served as an Editor of the Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management (MOJEM-Scopus indexed)- (https://mojem.um.edu.my/) for more than four years. Dr Ramzy's background is in Intercultural and interreligious education. He obtained a Licentiate Certificate in Islamic studies from Jaamiah Nalemiah, Sri Lanka and completed undergraduate studies in Arabic linguistics at the Peradeniya University of Sri Lanka in 2001. He received a Master's in Comparative Religion from the International Islamic University Islamabad. He studied Shavism of Hinduism for his Master's thesis. Ramzy completed his PhD in Comparative Religion in 2012 at the International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM), where he studied the legacy of Ven. Prof. Walpola Rahula Thera of Sri Lanka to peaceful coexistence. Upon completing his PhD, Ramzy joined the Universiti Malaya (UM) as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in October 2012 in the Center for Cilivizational Dialogue, University of Malaya (CCD-UM). He was promoted to Research Fellow in 2013 at the same place. In 2015, Dr. Ramzy joined the Faculty of Education, UM, based on the merits of his research and publications. He is actively involved in research on Intercultural Competence. He has published over 60 research articles in reputed academic review Journals including social science indexed journals in educating different level of people on intercultural studies and governing the cultural and religious diversity. In addition, he has written several chapters of books and contributed seven entries to the Encyclopedia of Indian Religions (Springer Publication). He also co-authored a book published by UM Press in 2023.  Dr Ramzy supervises more than 26 PhD and 12 Master thesis and have evaluated more than 36 MA and PhD Thesis. Further he served as editor of Scopus indexed journal and reviewer of social science and other indexed journals. Dr. Ramzy has been awarded seven international honours for research and coordination and received a Southeast Asia Fellowship from The King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Lisbon, Portugal. In addition, he was recently bestowed a 'Senior Fellowship' at the Global Peace Institute in the U.K. Dr Ramzy served as visiting scholar in Prince Songkla Unviersity (PSU), Patttani from 24 April to 05th of May 2023 and the Research Scholarship Centre, King Khalid Unviersity (KKU), Abha, Saudi Arabia from 14-27 February 2024. He has been invited as a keynote speaker in many international seminars and conferences and has participated as a guest speaker at many international forums, including Britain, Australia, South Korea, Turkey, Qatar, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. He has presented research papers at various international conferences, including Australia, the U.K., South Korea, Qatar, Turkey, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. In addition, Dr. Ramzy has conducted more than seven international webinars on research. Dr. Ramzy is not only a researcher but also a peace activist. He is involved in Organizing interfaith initiatives in Malaysia and Sri Lanka and has also participated in programs conducted by the UNESCO Activity Club and various youth interfaith programs. He actively involves in Muslim-Buddhist dialogue and coexistence. He can be reached at ismathramzy@gmail.com.  

Azizan Baharuddin received her BSc (Hons) in Biology from the University of Tasmania, Australia in 1978, MSc (Univ. College London) in 1979 and PhD in Philosophy of Science (Science & Islam) from University of Lancaster, United Kingdom in 1989. She specialises in several areas such as environmental ethics, religion and sustainable development, Islam and science, bioethics, interfaith/intercivilisational dialogue. She has published more than 300 books, book chapters, monographs, journal articles and newspaper articles in the above-mentioned fields, including books Harmony between Religion and Science: An Islamic Perspective (2019), Environmental Ethics in Islam (2018), co-editor of Islam and Ecology: A Bestowed Trust (2003) and Environment, Values and the Future of Civilisations (2013). She is active in several governmental and non-governmental organisations connected with her areas of specialisation, as well as being a member of various advisory and consultative committees for various ministries in Malaysia. She was appointed by the Prime Minister as the Chairman of the National Committee for the Promotion of Understanding and Harmony Among Religious Adherents (JKMPKA) (2014–2015); appointed by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation as Chairman of the National Bioethics Council (MBEN) (2014-2017). She was appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO as Member of the International Bioethics Committee (IBC) in Paris (2014-2017). Due to her works and contributions in the area of Science & Religion, she received an award from the Centre for Theology & Natural Sciences, USA in 2001. She was also awarded the Federal Territory Maal Hijrah Award in 2016. In 2016, she received the Langkawi Award from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) for her work in environmental education and activism at the national level and abroad. She was a lead member of the drafting team for the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change (IDCC) endorsed by the UN United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and submitted to the President of the 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York in 2016. She was appointed by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong as Member of the Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia (MKI) (2018 – 2021). She is also member of the Board of Advisors for the Legasi Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (LEGASI), appointed member of the Board of Directors of Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka (DBP) (2016-2019), Director (Non-Executive) and Shariah Advisory Council of QSR Brands Holdings (M) Berhad (2017-2020), and appointed member of Notes and Coins Advisory Committee (NCAC), Bank Negara Malaysia (2017-2021). Recently, she has been appointed by the YAB Prime Minister as member of the Consultative Panel of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) (2020 – 2022). She was appointed as Director-General of IKIM (2015 – 31st August 2021). Currently, she is the Chairholder of UKM-YSD Chair for Sustainability, Director of Centre for Civilisational Dialogue, Universiti Malaya as well as Member of Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia (MKI) (2021-2023).

I am a migration scholar who is interested in the issues of marginalised communities especially refugees, migrants, and stateless persons. I completed a PhD in anthropology and public policy, focusing on refugee studies and labour migration.