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Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
Media releases

PCICS sees record number of asatizah graduates

18 April 2026

Programme to move to Singapore College of Islamic Studies from 2027.

  1. 84 asatizah graduated from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS)1 for academic year 2024/25. It represents the highest number of graduates in the programme’s fifth graduation ceremony. This brings the total number of PCICS graduates to 348 since the PCICS first started in 2020, demonstrating a growing participation in the enhanced qualification for Singapore's religious teachers. Out of a total of 84 PCICS graduates of 2024/25, 55 will be present at the ceremony to receive their graduation certificates and ARS Tier 1 accreditation, witnessed by PCICS faculty, the Joint PCICS Academic Committee members and their families.

  2. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim attended the event as the Guest-of-Honour, alongside Mufti of Singapore, senior MUIS leadership and senior members of the Asatizah Recognition Board. Outstanding achievements recognised

  3. Nine graduates received recognition2 across three categories for their achievements in the programme. The recognition categories are:

    • Top Student Award: Conferred to the top academic performers of each cohort for each of the five core PCICS modules,

    • Top Graduate Award: Conferred to the student with the best overall academic results in each cohort and

    • Valedictorian: Conferred to student with best overall academic achievements and leadership qualities

Enhanced programme features capstone projects to tackle real-world challenges

  1. A key feature of the PCICS programme is the capstone project, introduced in 2023 to replace the practicum module, which provides students with the opportunity to conduct independent research and develop innovative solutions for real-world challenges. Students will work on their capstone projects3 over two terms, applying knowledge from the programme to address issues facing organisations and the community. They have the choice to develop videos, research studies, or courseware as part of their projects. Project topics have included research on the religious thought and contributions of past local Islamic scholars, impact of dakwah to Muslim youths through social media, understanding the challenges and opportunities for incorporating Islamic principles in family development initiatives, and recommendations to strengthen interfaith understanding.

  2. One key capstone project is by Ustazah Siti Aida Binte Zulkifli, who majored in Usuluddin and Comparative Religion from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), and who was named valedictorian. Ustazah Siti Aida and her team members researched the socio-religious thoughts of local Islamic scholars in the 1950s and 1960s, Ustaz Ahmad Lutfi (Syed Abdullah Al-Edrus) and Ustaz Abdullah Basmeih. They examined how these scholars helped guide Singapore's Muslim community through their writings in a religious magazine called Majalah Al-Qalam, in particular, how they worked to strengthen Islamic faith and counter false teachings. Their research contributes to the ongoing work of documenting Singapore’s Islamic Intellectual Heritage, which will be housed under the Singapore College of Islamic Studies.

  3. Moving forward, the PCICS programme will be managed by the Singapore College of Islamic Studies (SCIS), in addition to the undergraduate degree in Islamic Studies in 2028 and the Research Programme in the Study of Muslim Communities of Success (RPCS). This will enable a more symbiotic relationship between research initiatives and asatizah development initiatives at the college. PCICS graduates bring valuable insights and professional expertise that enrich SCIS, strengthening Islamic scholarship in Singapore and building a robust foundation for Islamic education that serves our community's evolving needs.

1 Refer to Annex A for the background of PCICS
2 Refer to Annex B for the list of nine award recipients across the three award categories
3 Refer to Annex C for profiles of award recipients and brief info on their capstone projects

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