Islamic universities consider measures to ‘serve society’

Islamic universities should develop teaching and learning strategies based on logical critical thinking rather than on the basis of indoctrination, according to measures proposed at a recent virtual conference on “The role of universities in serving society and consolidating values”, held in Cairo, Egypt.

The 13 September conference was organised by the League of Islamic Universities in cooperation with the Muslim World League (MWL), Egypt’s Ministry of Al-Awqaf, Al-Azhar University, Alexandria University, the Prince Khalid Al-Faisal Institute for Moderation at King Abdulaziz University, and the World Muslim Communities Council.

Higher education experts, university presidents and scholars of the 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which include 27 African countries, formulated the measures for universities aimed at serving society through the promotion of ethics, academic freedom, critical thinking, cultural and educational values, as well as sustainable community service.

Among the measures proposed was the introduction of professional development courses for young faculty members and their assistants, and training workshops for students to enable them to use critical thinking to confront the spread of rumours and discord.

Combating extremism

It was also proposed that universities contribute to confronting all forms of extremism by educating students about its dangers and by establishing a system of positive and moral values that protect them against any “extremist or alien ideas”.

The conference proposed that the curricula of Sharia Islamic law in the Islamic world, especially in universities, institutes, colleges of Sharia, schools and educational institutions, be characterised by the “enlightened moderate thinking that Islamic laws urge”.

An ethical charter for students, academic staff and administrative employees working at Islamic universities was proposed. Such charter would be “in proportion to authentic Islamic and university values” and should also promote legitimate freedoms within the academic community.

Other measures call for the transformation of universities into “real production centres” which encourage investment in human values by “building people scientifically, culturally, socially and morally as well as supporting the supreme values of humanity and affirming an established fact: that followers of religions and cultures share values that should be highlighted in the system of general values”.

The conference said universities must focus on educating students in the geography and the history of Arab and Islamic nations to enhance national identities, loyalties and pride.

Evaluation of research

It also called for the establishment of a special section within the League of Islamic Universities to evaluate and classify universities in terms of scientific research, and to honour universities that achieve high rankings.

Muhammed Haron, professor of religious studies at the University of Botswana, welcomed the proposed measures.

“The Islamic higher learning institutions should adopt a proactive stance in serving their societies by addressing the societies’ fundamental needs so that their graduates can serve each and every sector of society; and in the process, these institutions should underline the importance of eternal values such as learning to respect others who hold … and express different opinions and agree to cooperate for the sake of advancing society and the interest of the generations to come,” Haron told University World News.

“The Islamic higher education institutions have a critical and premier status in their societies; their forward-looking teaching staff should mount job-oriented programmes and meaningful and impactful modules.

“These programmes and courses should, however, be solely rooted in ethical principles so that each sector of society can be inspired by and reinforce wholesome values.”

Partnering with secular institutions

Haron said Islamic universities should also look beyond themselves as purveyors of “wholesome knowledge” and partner with secular academic institutions “beyond the Muslim heartlands so that others may benefit from their research outputs and experience the positive knowledge disseminated by their established expert staff and emerging researchers/teaching staff.

“This will also help others who subscribe to different religious traditions, value systems and cultures to derive benefit from the values they share through intimate association and interaction with the Muslim higher learning institutions at various educational levels.”

Describing the proposed measures as “in the right direction”, Fareeda Khodabocus, director of quality assurance at the University of Mauritius, said they would put the universities “on track to leading society to enlightenment, peace and growth”.

University of Burundi Doctoral School Director Juma Shabani said they were important in combating values and attitudes that could affect social development negatively.

“They should be packaged appropriately and mainstreamed into existing curricula,” he said. “Islamic universities should take advantage of the opportunities offered by COVID-19 to organise inclusive online consultations to design these new curricula and develop the capacities of the academic staff who could help to teach them.”