Islamic Studies Network announces establishment of subject association for Islamic Studies

Following on from our consultations on the future of the Islamic Studies Network, we are pleased to announce that we are beginning the process of establishing a subject association for Islamic Studies. This association will be a learned society and professional organisation focused on enhancing research and teaching about Islam and Muslim cultures and societies in UK higher education. 

The association will bring together academics from a wide range of discipline areas, and membership will be open to all those with an academic or professional interest in Islamic Studies. It will work alongside continued support for teaching and learning in Islamic Studies from the Higher Education Academy, through the Academy’s normal routes for supporting discipline-level activity (e.g. workshops and seminars, teaching development grants, networking opportunities).

The first step in establishing the association will be the formation of an interim steering group, which will serve for approximately nine months to establish the association and its membership and oversee elections. This steering group will also be charged with deciding which institution, if any, should provide administrative support for the association. The Higher Education Academy will continue to use funding from HEFCE to support the interim steering group for an initial period of three months, but after this period the association will not be hosted by the Academy. 

Please download the documents on this page to learn more about the proposed association. These documents give further details about the aims of the association, its stakeholders, and the terms of reference for the interim steering group.

Membership of the steering group is open to members of the Islamic Studies Network and others with an interest in Islamic Studies in UK higher education, according to the terms of reference. If you are interested in serving on the interim steering group, please contact Lisa Bernasek, Academic Coordinator for the Islamic Studies Network at l.bernasek@soton.ac.uk by Friday 29 June 2012.