Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University

What Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University does

Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA) is Brunei's official state Islamic university, established under royal patronage and operating under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. It serves primarily domestic Bruneian students, with selective international intake, across nine faculties spanning Usuluddin (theology), Shariah and Law, Arabic Language, Da'wah and Islamic Management, Islamic Economics and Finance, Science and Technology, Agriculture, Halal Science and Sustainable Tourism, and the Centre for Foundation Studies. Instruction is delivered in Malay, Arabic, and English, with curriculum rooted in Ahlus Sunnah Waljamaah and Mazhab Shafi'i methodology, aligning with Brunei's national Islamic identity and Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy.

The institution's core academic product is accredited undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degrees, complemented by a publication portfolio of 13+ academic journals and dedicated research centres including the Halalan Thayyiban Centre, Usrah, and ITIS. The technology stack consists of standard academic infrastructure: Open Journal Systems for journal publishing, a Learning Management System for course delivery, an E-Payment platform for tuition and fees, a University Management System (UMS) for administration, and a Course Matcher tool for student course selection. The university operates across multiple campuses in Brunei, including Gadong and a dedicated Arabic Language Complex.

UNISSA's revenue model is characteristic of a state university: primarily funded through direct Brunei government budget allocations under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, supplemented by tuition fees from domestic and international students, transactional fees on digital services, and external research grants. The institution holds 70+ international MOUs and is a member of bodies including AMEU, AARU, IIUM, and FUIW, supporting inbound/outbound student mobility and joint research. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and no commercial parent, funding rounds, or investor capital are associated with the institution.

Name

Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University

Legal name

Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali

Website

https://unissa.edu.bn

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA) is Brunei's state Islamic university under royal patronage, offering accredited undergraduate and postgraduate programs across nine faculties to primarily domestic Bruneian students within an Ahlus Sunnah Waljamaah framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Islamic Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Islamic Colleges & Sharia/Fiqh Institutes (EDAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Islamic university programs
• Academic journal publishing
• Continuing education programs
• Islamic research and scholarship

Headquarters

HQ city

Bandar Seri Begawan

HQ country

Brunei

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate program tuition fees for domestic and international students
2. Short Programs and Continuing Education: Revenue from short programs designed to increase career prospects and knowledge, including professional development courses
3. Conference and Seminar Fees: Revenue from international conferences including Regional Islamic Media Conference (RIMec), International Conference on Islam in Malay World, and Persidangan Antarabangsa Mazhab Syafi'i
4. Academic Services and Products: Revenue from confirmation letters, translation services, alumni fees, and academic document processing through the e-payment portal
5. Graduation and Ceremony Services: Revenue from graduation ceremonies including robe packages ranging from $125 to $1,095 depending on degree level (Diploma to PhD)
6. Government Funding: Public university funding from Brunei government, indicated by endowment participation and Blueprint Endowmen 5.0

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA) is a state Islamic university that delivers tertiary education programs (diploma through PhD) across nine faculties, short continuing-education programs, peer-reviewed academic journals, international conferences, and academic publishing services. The institution also operates graduation ceremony services, an academic press book shop, and internship programs with industry partners. These offerings serve domestic Bruneian students, international Muslim students, and the wider Islamic scholarly community.

Product overview

Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA) operates a multi-platform digital ecosystem consisting primarily of educational technology services. The core offerings include the UNISSA Digital Journal (built on Open Journal Systems) for peer-reviewed academic publishing across Islamic studies and related disciplines, the E-Payment System for processing university fees and services, and the University Course Matcher tool for prospective student program matching. Additional platforms include the Attendance Management System (QR-based), Student and Staff Portals, University Management System (UMS), library catalog (e-fihrist), institutional repository (e-ilami), and UNISSA Press Book Shop. These products function as interconnected institutional services supporting the university's academic mission rather than a unified commercial product suite.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Diploma, HND, and Bachelor's degree programs across nine faculties including Usuluddin, Shariah, Law, Arabic Language, Islamic Economics and Finance, Islamic Development Management, Islamic Technology, Agriculture, and Halal Science and Sustainable Tourism. Intended for prospective students seeking Islamic higher education.
• Graduate Degree Programs (Master's and PhD) Postgraduate Master's and doctoral programs in Islamic studies and related disciplines, designed for research-oriented students and scholars.
• Short Programmes and Continuing Education Short professional development and continuing-education programs designed to increase career prospects and Islamic knowledge for working professionals and adult learners.
• International Academic Conferences Hosted international academic conferences including the Regional Islamic Media Conference (RIMec), International Conference on Islam in Malay World, and Persidangan Antarabangsa Mazhab Syafi'i, providing scholarly exchange platforms with paid registration fees.
• UNISSA Press Book Shop Online bookstore operated by the university press, selling academic publications, books, and educational materials to students, scholars, and the general public.
• Graduation Ceremony Services Tiered robe packages and graduation ceremony services priced from $125 to $1,095 depending on degree level (Diploma/HND, Bachelor, Master, PhD), processed through the university's e-payment portal during the annual Mahrajan Hafl al-Takharruj graduation ceremony.
• Peer-Reviewed Academic Journals Collection of 13+ peer-reviewed academic journals (AR-RĀ'iq, JALL, JHST, Al-Shafi'i, IJUS, iEco, MAFAZA, SJAS, IJLSP, JIT, AL-HIKMAH, JIMS, Al-Nashrah) covering Islamic studies, halal science, Arabic linguistics, Islamic economics, and agricultural sciences, published via Open Journal Systems 3.3.0.16.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13+ peer-reviewed international journals published
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• King Salman Global Academy for Arabic LanguagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2024Joint Arabic language teaching workshop conducted between UNISSA Faculty of Arabic Language and King Salman Global Academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research collaboration and scholarly exchange between Malaysian and Bruneian Islamic institutions
• UIN Sunan Kalijaga YogyakartacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndonesian Islamic university partnership for academic visits, research collaboration, and knowledge exchange in Arabic language and Islamic studies
• Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership providing access to Commonwealth scholarship programs, conference networks, and academic collaboration opportunities
• International Association of Universities (IAU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO-affiliated global higher education network for international collaboration and policy dialogue
• Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOIC specialized organization membership supporting Islamic education, science, and culture collaboration across Muslim nations
• Serikandi Groups of CompaniesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAlumni Internship Programme providing work placement opportunities for UNISSA students at Serikandi operations in Kuala Belait
• Pusat Pengkajian Borneo (PenBorneo)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternship programme hosting UNISSA students for Borneo studies research and community engagement
• Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal BolkiahcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIslamic heritage centre partnership for internship programmes, conference hosting, and manuscript studies collaboration
• Jade FarmminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAgricultural internship partner for Faculty of Agriculture students providing practical farming experience

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Sultan Qaboos University: Oman's flagship state university offering broad programs with growing Islamic and Arabic studies capacity. Comparable in being a Gulf-state flagship with state funding and regional student recruitment, though operating in a different GCC market.

Direct peers

• Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM): Malaysian state Islamic university combining traditional Islamic scholarship with applied sciences and professional programs. Comparable to UNISSA in regional positioning, state backing, and integration of Islamic and modern disciplines.
• International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI): Pakistan's flagship Islamic university offering comprehensive programs in Islamic studies, law, economics, engineering, and medicine. Comparable in scope and state-backed Islamic university model, though operating at materially larger scale.
• UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta: Indonesian state Islamic university with strong Arabic language and Islamic studies focus. An existing UNISSA partnership peer; closely comparable in mission, faculty mix, and Southeast Asian target student market.
• International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM): Malaysia's flagship state Islamic university offering programs from undergraduate to PhD across Islamic studies, law, economics, science, and technology. Directly comparable to UNISSA in mission, multi-faculty structure, and target student base across Southeast Asia.

Broad incumbents

• King Saud University: Saudi Arabia's largest university with strong Arabic language and Islamic studies programs and an Arabic Language Institute. Relevant peer for UNISSA's Arabic Language faculty collaboration and Arabic teaching partnerships, but far broader in scope.
• Islamic University of Madinah: Saudi Arabian state Islamic university with strong Shariah and Arabic language emphasis and global student recruitment. Comparable niche specialization and Islamic scholarship mission; significantly larger scale and deeper resources.
• Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM): Major Malaysian research university with broad science, agriculture, and halal science programs. An existing UNISSA MoU partner; comparable in agriculture and halal research scope but with far larger scale and broader secular portfolio.
• Al-Azhar University: The preeminent historic Islamic university in Egypt, spanning Islamic scholarship, sciences, medicine, and engineering. Represents the upper bound of Islamic university scale and global brand recognition against which UNISSA's niche positioning is differentiated.

Emerging players

• Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM): Malaysian public university with significant halal and Islamic finance research capacity through its halal industry research centres. Comparable in halal science and Islamic economics research focus relevant to UNISSA's specialized faculties.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unissa_brunei
• Facebookfacebook.com/unissa.rasmi.1
• Instagraminstagram.com/official.unissa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sultan-sharif-ali-islamic-university

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University