Professor Malory Nye has been appointed to the new post of Depute Principal for Academic Affairs at Dundee’s Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies.
Professor Nye (39) currently holds the Chair of Multiculturalism, Islam and Muslims in Britain at the Institute and is the Director of the Centre for the Study of Islam and Muslims in Scotland. In his new role he will be responsible for continuing the expansion of the Institute’s academic activities including the growing number of links to other Universities in Scotland, the UK, Europe and the Middle East, developing the programme of research activity and the further growth in the number of postgraduate students.
Announcing the appointment Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi, the Principal of Al-Maktoum Institute said: “Professor Nye is a leading expert in the field of multiculturalism and the study of religious diversity in the UK.
“I am confident that in his new role he will be of great assistance in building the reputation of Al-Maktoum Institute as the leading centre for the academic study of Arabic and Islamic Studies both in the UK and Europe.”
An anthropologist by training, Professor Nye is an acknowledged expert in the study of multiculturalism and religious diversity, including, Muslims, Hindus, and new and minority religions in Britain.
Originally from Wales, he studied for his BA at the London School of Economics, and then he gained a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of a number of significant published works, with papers in various journals and collections, as well as three books including ‘Multiculturalism and Minority Religions’ (Routledge Curzon) and ‘Religion: the Basics’ (Routledge).
He was for several years the editor of the Scottish Journal of Religious Studies, and is now the founding Editor of ‘Culture and Religion’, an interdisciplinary journal published by the leading international publisher Routledge, which aims to promote a critical investigation into all aspects of the study of religion and culture.
Professor Nye recently spent a month in the United Arab Emirates as a visiting Professor at Zayed University, giving a series of lectures at their campuses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and working to build on and develop the research and teaching links between Scotland and the UAE.
Later this month (March) he will be one of the speakers at an international symposium being held at Al-Maktoum Institute under the auspices of the Islamic Universities League. Professor Nye commented: “I am delighted to be taking up my new role at a time of exciting growth for Al-Maktoum Institute.
“We anticipate an increase in student numbers, and we are establishing many links with other Universities. In addition, Al-Maktoum Institute is also planning to construct a new cultural centre nearby, to serve the whole Dundee community.
“As Depute Principal, my role will be to lead the further development of our aims for excellence in the two key areas of teaching and research. In just two years since we opened, the Institute has quickly become recognised as a centre for academic excellence and I hope to play my part in continuing to build that reputation both at home and abroad.”
