Thursina International Islamic Boarding School (IIBS) continues to strengthen its international network as part of its commitment to providing Global Academic Excellence for its students. This commitment was reflected in a courtesy visit by Professor I Gusti Ngurah Darmawan, Ph.D., Academic Lead for International and External Engagement at the School of Education, Adelaide University, Australia.
The meeting marked the beginning of discussions on a strategic partnership to create broader opportunities for students to access world-class universities, international scholarship programs, and sustainable academic collaborations.
Professor Darmawan is widely recognized for his expertise in educational evaluation, learning assessment, science and mathematics education, educational technology, and large-scale international educational data analysis.
The Adelaide University delegation was welcomed by the leadership of Thursina IIBS, including Chairman Ustaz Dr. Muhammad Ali Wahyudi, CEO Ustaz Nur Abidin, Ed.D., Senior Advisors Ustaz Ir. Sentot E. Parijatno, M.T. and Prof. Drs. H. Burhanuddin, M.Ed., Ph.D., Chief of the Secretarial Office Ustaz Mohamat Taufik, M.Ed., and Manager of Thursina Awards and Scholarship Ustaz Moh. Suhaili, S.Pd.
According to CEO Ustaz Nur Abidin, Ed.D., the meeting focused on exploring collaborative initiatives that would create long-term value and meaningful impact in education.
"Our discussions covered a wide range of opportunities, including university admission pathways for Thursina graduates, guidance and support for international student applications, access to scholarship opportunities, academic preparation programs, guest lectures, professional development for educators, as well as collaboration in education and research," he explained.
This partnership reflects Thursina IIBS’s commitment to its International Values, particularly Global Partnerships and Global Academic Pathways, by creating opportunities for students to pursue internationally recognized higher education.
A Globally Recognized University
Adelaide University is one of Australia's leading research-intensive universities and a member of the Group of Eight (Go8), the country's consortium of research-intensive institutions. According to the QS World University Rankings 2027, Adelaide University is ranked 79th globally, is among the top ten universities in Australia, and ranks second nationally for its International Research Network.
Its academic excellence is further demonstrated by 22 subject areas ranked among the world's top 100 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. These include Mineral and Mining Engineering (18th), Petroleum Engineering (25th), Dentistry (49th), Nursing (50th), Education and Law (63rd), Computer Science and Information Systems (73rd), Accounting and Finance (85th), and Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, which is ranked within the 51–100 global band.
In addition, Adelaide University is also internationally recognized for excellence across the broader fields of Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences and Medicine, Natural Sciences, Arts and Humanities, and Social Sciences and Management.
Opening Doors to World-Class Education
This partnership initiative forms part of Thursina IIBS's long-term strategy to build an educational ecosystem that extends beyond secondary education by guiding students toward admission to the world's leading universities.
Through this collaboration, students are expected to gain more comprehensive access to higher education information, academic and English language preparation, introductions to flagship academic programs, and scholarship opportunities in Australia.
The initiative also reinforces Thursina IIBS's commitment to its Holistic & Balanced educational philosophy, integrating academic excellence, Islamic character development, leadership, and global perspectives within a sustainable learning ecosystem.
This meeting marks an important first step toward a meaningful, measurable, and long-term institutional partnership—one that not only opens pathways to world-class higher education but also strengthens Thursina IIBS's mission of nurturing globally minded Muslim scholars who are prepared to lead and make meaningful contributions to the international community. (Fik/izz)
