University Times

The global studies program in the University Center for International Studies has been awarded a grant from the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad.

With the goal of helping U.S. educators integrate Islamic culture and history into their curricula, the grant — “Islam, the West and the Muslim World” — will enhance educators’ capabilities to offer information in the classroom, design curriculum models for secondary and higher education and speak about the Islamic world in their communities.

The resulting course work, curriculum models and publicly available syllabi will be designed to expand academic offerings at a range of educational institutions. Seminars will take place in conjunction with a June 24-July 22 Egypt study tour, which was developed in collaboration with South Valley University in Qena and the program for dialogue of civilizations at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University, both in Egypt.

Western Pennsylvania institutions represented in the tour include Pitt, Chatham University, Seton Hill University, Saint Francis University, Saint Vincent College, Slippery Rock University, Northside Urban Pathways Charter School and Hickory High School.

The Egyptian tour includes visits to three cities. In Luxor, the group will focus on ancient Egypt; in Alexandria, the fusion of East and West from ancient times to the British occupation will be studied, and in Cairo participants will investigate the evolution of religious diversity and the spread of Islam into contemporary society.

Contact Elaine Linn for more information at 412/648-2113 or EEL58@ucis.pitt.edu.