SEBI School of Islamic Economics (STEI SEBI) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Akademizi, the National Amil Zakat Institution of the Indonesian Zakat Initiative (LAZNAS IZI), in the Meeting Room on the 3rd floor of the IZI Headquarters on Monday (20/05/2024).

The collaboration between the two parties is related to the Student Final Project Research Grant at STEI SEBI with a focus on zakat and waqf. There are six research themes that are funding priorities, including:

Evaluation of zakat distribution and utilization programs, as well as waqf management.
Zakat and waqf collection and payment.
Performance measurement and strategic management in zakat and waqf management.
Innovation in zakat and waqf management.
Risk management, internal control, and sharia governance in zakat and waqf management.
Mapping of research publications on zakat and waqf.
"We would like to thank LAZNAS IZI for the trust given to STEI SEBI in strengthening zakat and waqf research in Indonesia," said the Chairperson of STEI SEBI, Sigit Pramono, Ph.D., in his remarks.

Sigit expressed STEI SEBI's commitment to encouraging each study program to increase research related to sharia social finance. Indonesia has great potential in this regard, especially due to the large Muslim population and the significant potential of zakat.

"We hope this collaboration will generate new ideas and findings that are beneficial for better zakat management practices," he added.

Nana Sudiana, the Director of Akademizi LAZNAS IZI, welcomed this collaboration with enthusiasm, stating that the collaboration with STEI SEBI is the right step.

"May this collaboration be a blessing for the advancement of zakat management in Indonesia," she said.

In this collaboration, four research projects will receive funding for research implementation and publication in scientific journals, with a minimum accreditation of Sinta 4. Grant recipients will also have access to data and references to support their research, demonstrating the shared commitment between STEI SEBI and LAZNAS IZI in strengthening zakat and waqf research and improving zakat management literacy, especially in Indonesia.