The Centre for Islamic Economics, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), in collaboration with the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), held the Islamic Economics Training Camp 2019 (IETC 2019). The event was held from August 19-24, 2019 at the IIUM Campus in Gombak, Malaysia. With a focus on promoting an understanding of Islamic economics, the event was attended by 37 participants from 24 institutions across several countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Syria. Among the attendees was Muhammad Ghafur Wibowo, S.E., M.Sc., a lecturer from the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business, UIN Sunan Kalijaga.

The IECT 2019 event featured 8 intensive lecture sessions and 5 discussion activity sessions. These lectures were led by esteemed experts in the field of Islamic economics and finance, renowned for their extensive knowledge. The IETC 2019 commenced with a public lecture by Ziauddin Sardar, a globally renowned Muslim intellectual.

The event featured speakers such as Prof. Dr. Abdelaziz Berghout from IIIT, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Aslam Haneef, Director of the Centre for Islamic Economics (CIE), Prof. Mustafa Omar Mohamed, Prof. Dr. Mohd. Nahar, Prof. Dr. Norma Md. Saad, and others. The topics covered included Islamisation of Knowledge, Economics System, The Third Sector Economic Model-Theories, Behavioral Economics, Islamic Social Finance, and Maqashid Shariah. Each session sparked lively discussions between the speakers and participants, enhancing the overall vibrancy of the event.

The participants experienced a genuine surge in knowledge and enlightenment from this event. The discussion activity sessions delved into the material presented by the speakers, fostering in-depth conversations. Furthermore, with the guidance of the IWON Trainer team, the participants were tasked with crafting research proposals and presenting them to the experts. The research proposal presentations occurred on the final day of the event, with 10 teams showcasing their proposals.

During this event, Muhammad Ghafur Wibowo and his team achieved the honor of winning the award for the best research proposal with their project entitled "Reducing the Income Inequality of Urban Poor Through Collaboration Between Government, Mosque, Zakat Institutions, and Islamic Banking in Indonesia."

"In addition to the classroom activities, the IETC 2019 event also featured visits to significant economic institutions in Malaysia," said Islamic Economics Lecturer. Ghofur added that the first visit was to the Malaysian Ministry of Economy, where they received a presentation on the country's development planning from 1970 to the present. The second visit was to the Selangor Hijrah Foundation, a social finance institution dedicated to aiding and economically empowering the underprivileged. On the final day of the event, all participants and organizers had the opportunity to attend a public lecture by Dr. Anwar Ibrahim, a highly influential national political figure in Malaysia at present.

During this occasion, Dr. Anwar Ibrahim discussed the current social, economic, and political dynamics in Malaysia. He also shared his perspectives on the significance of Malaysia's development in ensuring justice and equality for all groups without discrimination. The IETC 2019 event concluded with a closing address by the Director of IIIT, Prof. Omar Kasule, who also presented certificates to the participants.