Islam and Higher Education : Concepts, Challenges and Opportunities

This book explores the different concepts of ‘a university’ and the way they shape practice in Muslim contexts, with a particular focus on the Islamic republic of Pakistan. Higher education in Muslim contexts is often criticised for being incapable either of contributing to the socio-cultural and civilisational developments of society or of doing research and producing knowledge of a high standard. While the international organisations accuse universities of not helping the societies to become knowledge based and to compete at the global level, some Muslim scholars call for the creation of ‘authentic Islamic’ educational structures that would, as they think, solve the problems of higher education.

This book is the first study to qualitatively explore the concepts of higher education in Muslim contexts. It examines the different concepts of ‘a university’ and the way they shape practice in Muslim contexts, with a particular focus on the Islamic republic of Pakistan. Contributing to theoretical debates and discussing practical challenges that universities in Muslim countries face, the author analyses seven higher education institutions in Pakistan. She argues that there is a need for institutions to constantly review their mission and aims and objectives in light of the wider economic, political, and socio-cultural and religious development of a society.

The book reviews the history of higher education institutions and examines opportunities for some Pakistani universities, to become centres of excellence in the future. This is subject to adequate support from the government, industries, philanthropists and the society at large. In return, these universities would have to cater to the needs of the society, from basic needs in the areas of health and education to science and technology.

Islam and Higher Education breaks new grounds in the field of higher education in Muslim contexts and will be of interest to researchers in the fields of comparative education and Islamic Studies.