Washington,
DC: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement
of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and
Support of Education have named Akbar Ahmed, Ibn
Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies and professor of
international relations at American University the
2004 District of Columbia Professor of the Year.
Ahmed is the former High Commissioner of Pakistan
to Great Britain, and a distinguished anthropologist,
writer, and filmmaker. He has been actively involved
in interfaith dialogue and the study of global Islam
and its impact on contemporary society for many
years.
“Dr. Ahmed is able to carry out his remarkable
teaching inside and outside the classroom because
his skill is based on a spectacular record of accomplishment,”
said Louis Goodman,
Dean of American University’s School of International
Service. “He has thrown himself into the teaching
of existing courses such as ‘The World of
Islam’ and has designed new courses such as
God and Globalization in a manner that has been
inspirational to his students and has generated
an extremely wide following on campus. His courses
have created such interest that they are filled
and over-filled early in the registration periods
of each semester.”
“As a Muslim educator I am honored to have
been selected for this American award,” said
Professor Ahmed. “It’s my hope that
through education and dialogue, we can work together
to bridge the gaps that divide us.”
According to the BBC, “Professor Akbar Ahmed
the world’s leading authority on contemporary
Islam.” The Arch Bishop of Canterbury called
him, “One of the most important scholars of
Islam today.” Adding, “Professor Ahmed
has impeccable credentials.”
Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the UK, recently
wrote to Professor Ahmed, “Thank you for the
wisdom and generosity of spirit you are constantly
showing through your spoken and written words. I
cannot tell you how important your voice is right
now. These are fateful times - and in you classic
Islam has a spokesman and role model of supreme
grace and dignity. May God/Allah be with you in
all you do - and I thank you from the depth of my
heart…”
This year there are winners in 45 states and the
District of Columbia. Ahmed was selected from faculty
members nominated by colleges and universities throughout
the country.
Located in Washington, DC, American University (www.american.edu)
is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse
student body from throughout the US and more than
160 countries and providing opportunities for academic
excellence, public service, and internships in the
nation’s capital and around the world.
