(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Six students and three faculty members from the College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) embarked on a number of academic development opportunities at Turkey's Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University ( IZU) this summer.
The educational opportunities at the Turkish institute came against the backdrop of its recent partnership with HBKU, signed during the past academic year of 2017-18 to further cooperation in the field of graduate education.
The facilitation of a global interchange of knowledge and resources stems from HBKU's founding pillars Excellence, People, Innovation and Partners that guide the University's steady efforts in seeking out new international partners for the provision of inclusive, high-quality learning opportunities in Qatar and abroad.
The student delegation was led by assistant professor and assistant dean for Innovation and Community Advancement at CIS, Dr Mohamed Evren Tok; professor of public policy in Islam, Dr Louay Safi; and assistant professor of Methodology and Ethics, Dr Mu'taz Alkhatib at the Centre for Islam and Global Affairs Summer School Programme (CIGA) held at IZU from July 25 to August 5.
The two universities share an agreement that supports the exchange of students, in particular those specialising in the fields of Islamic sciences, economics and finance. Participating students engaged in an interchange of ideas and values on a wide range of academic topics, including spiritual growth, intellectual development and public activism.
'The CIGA Summer School Leadership Development Programme extensively explored the evolution of the sociopolitical environment in which Muslim communities in the West have found themselves since the turn of the century. To this end, the two-week programme studied their multifold challenges, particularly in light of the surge of religious profiling and threats of marginalisation, and focused on the larger political, civic and social life lessons that could be drawn from the communities' experiences based on four main classifications: spiritual growth, intellectual development, political education, and public activism, Dr Tok said.
Ardela Hyka, who is currently pursuing a Master of Arts In Islamic Studies degree in the Islamic Civilisation and Societies concentration, said, 'Experiencing the CIGA Summer School within a wholly new cultural and educational environment taught me a lot about cultivating personal leadership qualities, particularly with a view towards one's background and individual abilities. Witnessing some of Istanbul's magnificent sites underlined this further as we found ourselves in a world metropolis that carries a rich history of political and religious leadership.
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