Research Challenges Barriers To Higher Education
27 September 2011
Dr Sariya Contractor
Through higher study, Muslim women can also gain employable skills and thereby increase their contributions to and participation in wider society.
”A research project carried out by a University of Derby researcher has identified ways education establishments can encourage more Muslim women into higher education, both onto Islamic studies, and wider programmes.
During this research project, funded by the HEA Islamic Studies Network, Derby's Dr Sariya Contractor along with colleague Dr Alison Scott-Baumann of the University of Lancaster explored ways through which Islamic studies as taught at Muslim institutions and at UK universities could be bridged, through linkages and partnerships.
As part of this research they analysed Islamic Studies programme content both at UK universities and at Muslim institutions. They also conducted four themed group discussions with women training to be alimahs (female Muslim scholars).
They explored issues of Islamic feminism and Islamic theology in an attempt to understand the barriers Muslim women are facing and identify ways they can be overcome. This work developed from Dr Scott-Baumann's work in this area over more than a decade, which led to government-funded research on Muslim faith leader training, which demonstrated strong support in British Muslim communities for core British values such as citizenship and considerable interest in community skills such as counselling and pastoral care-visit website www.communities.gov.uk
for more information.
Dr Contractor explains: "Our previous research on Muslim faith leader training in Britain indicates that female scholars - alimahs - can use their theological training to improve social cohesion. Through higher study, Muslim women can also gain employable skills and thereby increase their contributions to and participation in wider society."
Through this project Dr Contractor and Dr Scott-Baumann identified a number of ways in which alimahs may be encouraged to pursue higher education and specifically Islamic studies.
"We developed four modules that could be adopted by higher education establishments, either independently or in collaboration with Islamic studies centres. The four modules - Law, Gender, Pastoral Studies or Dialogue Studies are compatible with British university curricular and Quality Assurance structures, and can be piloted by British universities, ideally in partnership with Muslim colleges.
"We now aim to encourage collaborative partnerships between higher education establishments and Islamic colleges and to encourage them to adopt these modules. Doing so will build inter-faith collaboration into the education system and develop programmes that facilitate discussion around cultural and religious differences."
The full report can be found on the Islamic Studies Network website: www.islamicstudiesnetwork.ac.uk
