UIII Welcomes New IGC Fellows with Diverse Expertise from USA, UK and Hungary

This October, the UIII Faculty of Islamic Studies welcomed three new fellows as part of the Center for Islamic and Global Challenge (IGC) Fellowship 2025. Hailing from prestigious universities in the USA, Hungary, and the UK, these scholars will engage in faculty activities, research collaborations, and student mentorship throughout their residency, which continues until December.

“We hope that the fellows will elevate UIII’s profile within the global academic community through their publications in reputable journals. Publishing scholarly works is one of their primary obligations during their time with IGC, which will further establish UIII as a hub for contemporary studies on Islam and global challenges,” stated IGC Co-Director Dr. Haula Noor. 

Each fellow brings a distinct area of expertise to IGC, enriching academic discussions at UIII. Wietske Merison from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), brings a background in Islamic law with her project, “A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing: Islamic Ritual Slaughter as a Decolonial Antidote to the Moral Deficiencies in Industrialized Meat Production.” 

Meanwhile, Achraf Guennouni Idrissi from the University of Debrecen, Hungary, specializes in diplomacy and Islam. His project, “Ethical Diplomacy in Islam: Navigating Global Challenges for Peace and Justice,” aims to explore the intersection of Islamic ethics and global diplomacy. 

Muhammad Imran Khan from the Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, focuses on theology with his project titled, “A Post-Zakat Moral Obligation: Its Effective and Strategic Implementation for Addressing Global Challenges.” 

The diversity in academic perspectives represented by these scholars promises to foster enriching dialogues at UIII, furthering its mission to advance knowledge and research. Through collaboration, the fellows' contributions will help address contemporary global challenges. Congratulations to all the IGC fellows!