DUSHANBE, December 27, 2011, Asia-Plus -- The Tajik Islamic Institute named after Imomi Azam (Imam Abu Hanifa) and Russian Islamic University in Kazan, Russia’s Tatarstan Autonomous Republic have signed a cooperation agreement.

According to the Tajik Islamic Institute, the document was inked by Rafik Mukhametshin, Chancellor of Russian Islamic University and Abdumanon Saidov, the head of the department for analysis and public affairs at the Tajik Islamic Institute in Kazan on December 23.

The Tajik Islamic Institute delegation visited Kazan to study the experience of Russian Islamic University in preparing curriculum, organizing scientific and methodological work and get acquainted with the general process of training of specialists in the field of Islamic culture, the source said.   

The Islamic Institute of Tajikistan is the only higher education Islamic institution in the country, the Islamic Institute of Tajikistan.  It is under the Ministry of Education, which approved the chancellor, faculty, and all programs of study.

Russian Islamic University was founded in Kazan, Russia’s Tatarstan Autonomous Republic in 1998.  The University reportedly consists of three departments (Theology, Islamic Science and Hafiz Preparation) and four sub-departments (Humanitarian, Islamic Law, Islamic Theology and Philology).