Aligarh: The UGC Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (MMTTC), AMU successfully concluded its Online Subject Refresher Course in Oriental Studies. Themed “Literary and Academic Masterpieces of Oriental Studies: An Assessment,” the two-week programme witnessed participation from 123 university and college teachers across disciplines such as Arabic, Persian, Islamic Studies, Quranic Studies, Theology, Urdu, and Arab Culture. Participants hailed from diverse states, including Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, and more.
In the valedictory session, Dr. Faiza Abbasi, Director of the UGC Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre, highlighted the course’s enduring popularity due to its multidisciplinary approach and the enthusiastic participation of faculty from across India. She emphasised AMU’s historic significance in Oriental studies and its continued relevance as a hub for these disciplines. Dr. Abbasi said: the programme’s inclusion of contemporary themes such as NEP 2020, ICT-enabled pedagogy, linguistics, and digital learning resources.
Prof. Abdur Raheem Kidwai, Course Coordinator and Honorary Director, Professor K.A. Nizami Centre for Quran Studies, noted the exceptional contribution of resource persons from institutions such as AMU, JMI, JNU, MANUU, and Kashmir University. He emphasised topics like Sir Syed and the Aligarh Movement, translations of religious texts, and fostering interfaith understanding. Prof. Kidwai called on educators to preserve and promote Urdu communication and script.
Participants expressed satisfaction with the course content and organization. Dr. Mehboob Ali Khan (Jamal Mohammad College, Trichurapalli) appreciated the pedagogical training, while Dr. Sabra Tabassum (Mahila College, Godda) shared her gratitude through a self-composed poem. Others, including Dr. Mohd. Ajmal Mohammad (JNU) and Dr. Nafeesa Masood (Justice Basheer Ahmad Sayeed College for Women, Chennai), lauded the opportunity to learn from eminent scholars and requested future face-to-face courses at AMU.
