EDUCATION AUSTRALIA
A centre of learning and understanding
and existing Muslim community leaders, as well as teachers and other professionals interested in Islam and Islamic culture. As part of the Asia Institute,
T
the Centre has a truly national collaboration, with the Islamic Studies program offered across three states through three universities – the University of Melbourne, the University of Western Sydney and Griffith University. The Centre was established by the Australian Government in 2007. “There were a number of objectives,”
says Professor Abdullah Saeed, Director of the NCEIS. “One was to develop an academic Islamic Studies program for Muslim and non-Muslim students as part of developing a broad understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. It also has a very significant community engagement aspect of this through a national consultative committee and through a range of courses for the professional development of religious leaders, as well
he National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies (NCEIS) caters to the learning needs of aspiring
as the community in general through public lectures and seminars.” The Centre attracts a mixed group
of students, approximately 30 per cent of whom are from overseas. “Students doing Islamic Studies subjects are often doing other disciplines, such as politics, anthropology, history and philosophy. They might come from other faculties,
“A lot of our research and efforts go into looking for ways to promote understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims … We also do research on the concerns and needs of the Muslim communities in Australia”
such as business and economics, education and even music or science,” Professor Saeed says. The Islamic Studies program covers
a wide range of subjects, commencing with a focus on the history of the Middle East, its culture and diversity, and its role and influence in the world. “There are a number of subjects that
look at these issues, particularly in the first year and the second year,” Professor Saeed says. “Then in the third year you have more specialised units dealing with the Arab-Israeli conflict for instance, and also Islamic banking, Islamic politics and human rights issues.” Much of the focus
of the Islamic Studies subjects is on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as Egypt, however the Centre also looks at the Islamic communities in Australia. “A lot of our
Gallipoli Mosque in Auburn, a strong Muslim community in western Sydney.
research and efforts goes into examining the concerns and needs of the Muslim
communities in Australia,” Professor Saeed says. The NCEIS also plays a consultative
role to government bodies in Australia. “We do a number of projects on aspects of Islam in Australia,” Professor Saeed says. “For instance, I work very closely with the Department of Immigration and the Department of Foreign Affairs on a number of projects, and we also work very closely with the Department of Education, as this is the body that actually funds the Centre.” The NCEIS has a broad outlook that
extends far beyond its three campuses. “We have quite a large number of
international students who do PhDs with us and a strong international engagement in addition to this,” Professor Saeed says. “We organise and host an extensive range of public programs, public lectures and conferences, and a lot of these are done in collaboration with overseas academics and institutions.” The NCEIS is now also exploring
the possibility of offering a number of its subjects through distance education to other states in Australia and other nations.
www.nceis.unimelb.edu.au AUSTRALIA AND THE ARAB COUNTRIES | 2010 39
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