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Strategically important subjects: Islamic studies

We have worked to develop a programme of support for Islamic studies since the Government recognised it as a strategically important subject in 2007.

We allocated £1 million of our existing funding to support the work. This involved:

• research and consultation events
• digitisation of Islamic studies resources
• the development of the UK Islamic studies network, led by the Higher Education Academy
• supporting a symposium on Islamic studies in Europe by the British Academy.

We are now drawing our current programme to support Islamic studies to a close, though we will continue to work closely in this area with partner bodies, and to monitor related developments in the higher education sector and wider government.

Research and consultation

The Islamic studies programme of work developed from research and consultation activities throughout 2007 and 2008. These included:

• Dr Siddiqui's report, Islam at Universities in England (Adobe PDF 282K)
• a HEFCE report on the trends and profiles of Islamic studies courses and students in the UK (HEFCE 2008/09)
• a desk-based report, 'International approaches to Islamic studies in higher education', which considers the academic approach of selected countries (including the UK) to the study of Islamic studies in higher education
• two seminars

  • Seminar report on 'Islamic studies: current status and future prospects', November 2007

    [ Download Seminar report on 'Islamic studies: current status and future prospects', November 2007 as Adobe PDF 96K | Download Seminar report on 'Islamic studies: current status and future prospects', November 2007 as MS Word 144K ]

  • Seminar report on 'Islamic studies: the way forward in the UK', April 2008

    [ Download Seminar report on 'Islamic studies: the way forward in the UK', April 2008 as Adobe PDF 111K | Download Seminar report on 'Islamic studies: the way forward in the UK', April 2008 as MS Word 128K ]

Islamic studies in Europe

In March 2010 the British Academy, with our support, ran a symposium on Islamic studies in Europe. This looked at a range of themes from interfaith relations, Islam and the modern world, to Islamic identity and the future of Islamic studies.

We will shortly publish a summary of discussions at the seminar.

The British Academy also hosted a public lecture tied in to the seminar. This lecture was on the subject of 'Who speaks for Islam?' and was given by Dr Dalia Mogahed, Executive Director, Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, Washington DC, and an adviser to Barack Obama.

• 'Who speaks for Islam?'

Sector impact assessment

In developing our programme of work on Islamic studies, we have formally assessed its impact on the HE sector in terms of regulatory burden, equality and diversity, and sustainable development.

Sector impact assessment of Islamic studies

[ Download Sector impact assessment of Islamic studies as Adobe PDF 32K | Download Sector impact assessment of Islamic studies as MS Word 110K ]

Further information

For more information on our approach to Islamic studies e-mail islamicstudies@hefce.ac.uk or call Victoria Waite, Programme Manager on 0117 931 7254.

Last updated 22 April 2010