On 11 Zulhijjah 1427AH (1 January 2007), Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali was established. UNISSA received its first batch of students in August 2007.[3] 125 undergraduates and 27 postgraduate students were admitted. On its launch UNISSA absorbed academic and non-academic staff as well as its students from the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Institute of Islamic Studies (IPI SHOAS) which had hitherto been a part of UBD.