The growing academic reputation of Dundee’s Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies was highlighted at a special ceremony today (Wed July 9).
The event, held in the Institute’s premises in Blackness Road, Dundee, marked the end of a summer school attended by the first group of exchange students from Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates. Speaking at the ceremony Mr Mirza Al-Sayegh, chairman of the Institute’s Board, announced that the Institute had become the first British higher education establishment to be accepted as a member of the prestigious Islamic Universities League which is based in Cairo.
Last year a senior delegation from Dundee paid a visit to Dubai to examine possibilities for cultural and trade exchange and Mr Al-Sayegh revealed that a second trip was now being planned. It will be led by the Institute’s Chancellor, Lord Elder of Kirkcaldy, and will take place later this year.
Mr Al-Sayegh said: “His Highness Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, patron of the Al-Maktoum Institute, is keen to see the relationship between Dundee and Dubai develop further with the Institute being a catalyst. Indeed, he sees there are many more opportunities yet to be explored. The aim of the next mission will be to strengthen links already established and discuss various projects for the benefit of Dundee, Scotland, Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.”
He added that the all-female group of students from Zayed University had all been identified as potential leaders in their field of study and would be top decision makers and administrators in many key areas in the future.
Lord Elder said the Institute’s name was becoming more and more recognised nationally and internationally. It had a significant role to play in helping to build a multicultural Dundee and Scotland. He also revealed that the Al-Maktoum Institute was cooperating with the Islamic Cultural Centre in Dublin to purchase books and manuscripts for the Universities at Baghdad, Basra and Mosul in Iraq to replace materials lost in the looting and burning that followed the recent war.
The rebuilding of Iraq’s education system was benefiting from a $300,000 donation made by HH Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.
Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi, principal of the Institute said: “We believe academic excellence can be achieved by learning from other institutions and we also believe we can contribute to the development of Arabic and Islamic Studies worldwide. We have created links with several institutions around the globe. In addition to Zayed University these include UAE University in Al-Ain, the University of Gezira in Sudan, Ajman University of Science and Technology, the University of Qatar and Dubai Internet City. In addition to our membership of the Islamic Universities League we are also the first Scottish institution to be a member of the Euro-Arab research network. All these links will certainly help to enhance our teaching and research capabilities. It will also help to promote Dundee as a city that is home to a centre of excellence in Arabic and Islamic Studies.”
Speaking on behalf of the students, all of whom were visiting Scotland for the first time, Noura Hassan, president of Zayed University’s International Culture and Travel Club said: “Healthy communication is essential for the development of society as a whole. Our visit has opened our eyes to the present and future possibilities of how to get the best from the interaction between different cultures. Our three-week stay has offered us a unique opportunity to serve our community and country.”
Each of the 23 students was presented with a certificate to mark their completion of the summer school and they also presented gifts to their hosts.
