Azizan Baharuddin received her BSc (Hons) in Biology from the University of Tasmania, Australia in 1978, MSc (Univ. College London) in 1979 and PhD in Philosophy of Science (Science & Islam) from University of Lancaster, United Kingdom in 1989. She specialises in several areas such as bioethics, interfaith/intercivilisational dialogue, Islam and science, environmental ethics & religion and sustainable development. She has published more than 200 books, book chapters, monographs, journal articles and newspaper articles in the above-mentioned fields. She is active in several governmental organisations and non-governmental organizations (NGO) connected with her areas of specialisation, as well as being a member of various advisory and consultative committees for ministries in Malaysia.
She was appointed by the YAB Prime Minister as the Chairman of the National Committee for the Promotion of Understanding and Harmony Among Religious Adherents (JKMPKA) (2014–2015) & member of JKMPKA (2012-2017); appointed by the YB Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) as Chairman of the National Bioethics Council (MBEN) (2014-2015) and member of MBEN (2009-2017). She was appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO as Member of the International Bioethics Committee (IBC) in Paris (2014-2017). Due to her works and contributions in the area of Science & Religion, she received an award from the Centre for Theology & Natural Sciences, USA in 2001. She was also awarded the Maal Hijrah Award for Wilayah Persekutuan in 2016.
She was Director at the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (2000-2011) and Professor at the Faculty of Science, University of Malaya until 2015. She was appointed as the Deputy Director-General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia/ Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM) in 2011. In 2016, she received the Langkawi Award from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) for her work in environmental education and activism at national level and abroad. She is also one of the drafters of the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change (IDCC) launched in Istanbul in 2015, and submitted to the President of the 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York in 2016. She was appointed by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong as Member of the Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia (MKI) (2018 – 2021).
She is also member of the Board of Advisors for the Legasi Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (LEGASI), appointed member of the Board of Directors of Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka (DBP) (2016-2019), Director (Non-Executive) and Shariah Advisory Council of QSR Brands Holdings (M) Berhad (2017-2020), and appointed member of Notes and Coins Advisory Committee (NCAC), Bank Negara Malaysia (2017-2021). Recently, she has been appointed by the YAB Prime Minister as member of the Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah(PPPR), Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) (2020 – 2022). In June 2020, she was appointed as the Chair in Climate Change UKM-YSD by the Institute of Climate Change, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. She is currently the Director-General of Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia or Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM) since 2015.
