Set to establish a centre for Islamic Studies.

– This is very, very nice, Awais Mushtaq says, who is a spokesperson on behalf of Muslimsk Studentsamfunn (MSS), a Muslim union of students at UiO.

He is pleased that UiO has requested a meeting with Minister of Education and Research Øystein Djupedal so that the University can present its plans of postgraduate programmes for religious leaders and the establishment of a centre for Islamic Studies.

Open for everyone

In an e-mail to the Minister, Helge Kvanvig, dean at the Faculty of Theology (TF), wrote among others: «I contact you on behalf of a group that works with an initiative that is two-fold (...). The first (...) is postgraduation of religious leaders with a foreign background. The second matter, which we can inform of, is our intention of developing a centre for Islamic Studies at the University».

Kvanvig writes among others this about the latter:

«A centre for Islamic Studies will focus on the main fields of study in Islam and will thus be the only Norwegian alternative with such depth. It will be open for all students, of course.»

– Profession unrealistic

UiO therefore does not intend to establish a programme for the professional training of imams – for now.

– We won’t exclude the possibility that we would at some point be able to offer a complete education, but for now this is unrealistic, Oddbjørn Leirvik says, associate professor at TF and one of the involved in the planning.

If the centre is established, the University would like to take on professors from other European countries.

– A good alternative could be to take on external adjoint professors, for instance from the Islamic Faculty at the University of Sarajevo, Leirvik says, who underlines that it will be a mammoth task to find professionals who enjoy confidence in all circles.

Lena Larsen, project manager of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights at the Faculty of Law and Senaid Kobilica, vice-president of the Islamic Council and the imam responsible for Bosnians in Norway, both take part in the planning.

– The Islamic Council has played an important role in this respect. They wish for such an alternative to be up and running, Leirvik says.

– Important with independence

Awais Mushtaq from MSS is positive to the involvement of the Islamic Council.

– Such a measure needs recognition in these circles, and the Islamic Council is the best at that. They represent a majority of Muslim communities in Norway, Mushtaq says.

He can see how the possible UiO-programmes might be able to work as part of an entire imam-course.

– If you, for instance, can do the first years here, and then take the remainder abroad, that would be very good. It is also important that such a centre is independent, and that the professional influence from Christian theologians is kept at a minimum, Mushtaq says.

It is still undecided when such a centre would possibly be established.

– It takes a while to get everything sorted, and we have not set any deadlines. It won’t happen next academic year, maybe the following academic year at the earliest, Rector at UiO Geir Ellingsrud says.

In other words: 2007/2008.