The “5th International Islamic Finance and Economics Conference”, organised by Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU), was held with the participation of 86 scholars from 5 different countries and top-level institutional representatives of the sector.
The conference began with the “International Islamic Finance Workshop” held in Istanbul with the participation of HKU Board of Trustees Deputy Chairman Haluk Kalyoncu, and continued in Gaziantep with panels and paper presentations at the HKU Congress and Culture Centre. During the three-day conference, current issues in the field of Islamic finance and economics were discussed.
The opening of the conference was attended by HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, HKU Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Hanifi Aslan, Prof. Dr. Murat Çizakça, Durham University Faculty Member and Director of the Durham Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance Prof. Dr. Mehmet Asutay, Gaziantep Chamber of Industry (GSO) Chairman of the Board Adnan Ünverdi, Conference Chair and HKU Department of Economics Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yıldız Özkök, protocol representatives, faculty members and students.
WE WILL CONTINUE OUR LEADERSHIP IN ISLAMIC FINANCE AND ECONOMICS
Addressing the participants at the workshop, HKU Board of Trustees Deputy Chairman Haluk Kalyoncu said, “We embrace and support scientific approaches in the field of Islamic finance and economics. I believe that the researchers of our university will continue their efforts to lead in this field. These scientific events that we organise in the field of Islamic finance and economics reinforce our university’s mission in this area. I thank everyone who has contributed to the field and to our conference, and all the participants. In addition, I would like to say, especially to our international participants, that our efforts to increase HKU’s effectiveness in the field of Islamic finance and economics will continue without slowing down.”
WE TAKE CARE TO TRAIN COMPETENT HUMAN RESOURCES IN ECONOMICS AND FINANCE AS WELL
Underlining that the conference was held with the participation of top-level and relevant organisation representatives in its field, Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli said, “As Hasan Kalyoncu University, we continue our education, teaching and research activities in the fields of economics and finance, and we take great care in doing so, in order to train the competent human resources that our country needs in these fields. In this context, we continue to carry out solution-oriented work on the problems faced by the business world and to hold scientific events that guide investors and managers. At the 5th International Islamic Finance and Economics Conference, which we are holding in line with this goal, 86 esteemed scholars from 5 different countries and leading representatives of the sector will come together to discuss in depth topics such as the digital economy and sustainable development, which will also shape the future of the field of Islamic Finance and Economics, and their effects. The papers to be presented at the conference, the keynote and invited speeches, and the panel discussions will fill a major gap in the literature and add value to the field.”
THE CONFERENCE WILL HELP OPEN NEW HORIZONS
Durham University Faculty Member and Director of the Durham Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance Prof. Dr. Mehmet Asutay said, “I am very pleased to be attending this conference, now in its 5th edition, for the third time. I believe that this conference, which is the product of efforts regarding what can be done both academically and practically in the field of Islamic finance in Gaziantep and especially in the region, will contribute to the formation of new ideas and visions, to important steps being taken for the future of Islamic finance, and to the opening of new horizons.”
MUSLIM COUNTRIES HAVE A VERY LARGE TRADE VOLUME
GSO Chairman of the Board Adnan Ünverdi said, “In today’s world, where the economy is the most decisive factor, Muslim countries have a very large trade volume. This power must be carried much further and there must be much more cooperation. If we, as Islamic countries internationally, can achieve unity on Islamic finance issues with a win-win approach, we will have contributed to one another.”
WE WILL ADDRESS THE FUTURE OF ISLAMIC FINANCE
Conference Chair and HKU Department of Economics Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yıldız Özkök said, “At this conference, where we will address the future of Islamic finance in the context of the digital economy and sustainable development, we also aim to offer alternative solutions to interest-sensitive investors.”
At the conference, Senior Islamic FinTech Expert Dr. Moutaz Abojeib focused on the role of Fintech in Islamic finance and addressed the potential of technology to meet customer needs and its impact on increasing operational efficiency. Dr. Farrukh Raza, CEO of IFAAS Group and Chairman of the AAOIFI Governance and Ethics Board, explained how corporate governance structures function in terms of transparency, accountability and protecting stakeholder interests. Dr. Umar A. Oseni, Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Arbitration Centre, drew attention to the vital importance of liquidity management in the global economy and discussed its role in supporting the functioning of financial markets. Dr. Kamran Sherwani, Head of Internal Ethics Control and Secretary of the Audit Committee at SGD Academy, addressed the liquidity management problems faced by Islamic financial institutions.
The Islamic Finance Workshop, held before the conference under the guidance of leading experts in the field, provided participants with in-depth knowledge on the digital economy, liquidity management, and sukuk structuring and pricing. In two separate sessions, an academic panel and a sector panel, academics and sector representatives addressed topics such as “Macroeconomic Effects of Participation Insurance”, “Behavioural Economics from the Perspective of Islamic Economics”, “Islamic Economics for Sustainable Development”, “The Problem of Tax Justice in Present-Day Türkiye According to Islamic Rulings”, “The Effect of Digital Applications on the Job Satisfaction and Job Performance of Accounting Professionals” and “Differences between the Working Methods of Conventional and Participation Banking in Türkiye”.
