UOS launches 7th International Graduate Winter School

Opening address and welcome

In his opening address, Prof. Mammar Bettayeb, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, welcomed participants to the Winter School, which highlights Islamic civilisation and culture and reflects the shared responsibility of conveying its message to people around the world. He noted that the continued organisation of the Winter School demonstrates its importance and the values it conveys about civilization, with the participation of distinguished speakers from diverse backgrounds worldwide, contributing to the fostering of cultural and intellectual dialogue.

Winter school as an international scientific initiative

Prof. Mesut Idriz, Director of SIFHAMS, stated that the Winter School is an international scientific initiative held annually and dedicated to the history of science in Islamic civilization. It targets postgraduate students from various fields of science and humanities from around the world. He emphasised that this edition received more than 500 applications, reflecting the programme’s growing global reputation and demonstrating the significance of the Winter School, which has led to tangible research outcomes, including several published academic papers and strengthened international academic collaboration.

Training programmes and academic focus

The programme of the Winter School includes a series of intensive training courses for master’s and doctoral students, focusing on Muslim contributions to science throughout the history of Islamic civilization. It also offers interdisciplinary courses on the history of science and technology in Islamic civilization.

Lectures and thematic areas

The programme further features several lectures delivered by a distinguished group of local and international scholars and researchers, addressing a wide range of topics. These include discussions on the concept of knowledge in Islamic civilization; original philosophical texts, books, and manuscripts; cultural and social foundations of Islamic civilisation; the importance of protecting heritage and its uniqueness in Islamic civilisation; distinguished aspects of Islamic art and heritage; Islamic economics and finance; and selected topics on astrophysics in Muslim history.

Closing activities and book launch

In addition, the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST), affiliated with the University of Sharjah, will host the final day of the Winter School by offering scientific lectures and a workshop on stargazing at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre.

The opening session marked the launch of the second edition of the book “Islamic Scientific Tradition in History” by Prof. Alparslan Açıkgenç, published by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage in collaboration with the Sharjah International Foundation for the History of Arab and Muslim Sciences at the University of Sharjah, in the presence of Abu Bakr Al Kindi, Director of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage. The book covers topics focused on reconstructing the concepts and knowledge that shaped the sciences within Islamic civilisation.