Comments from Previous Participants

In summer 2008, a similar programme was offered in Vancouver at Simon Fraser University. A thorough evaluation was undertaken and the findings have informed the design of this year's course.

Comments from students who took part in this seminar include:

• "[The Summer Programme] has completely revolutionised the way I look at Islam and Muslims."
• "The subject matter [of the Summer Programme] was useful and very informative. I wanted to get a broader range of knowledge surrounding various cultural issues and found that this programme more than met my expectations."
• "[The Summer Programme] has enabled me to rethink and attempt to understand Islam and the Qur'an through a new perspective - one which considers the historical, political and cultural contexts of Muslims."
• "I believe that it [the Summer Programme] was a great stepping stone for me."
• ".the two-week Programme covered tremendous topics in such a short period of time. The professors have exceeded my expectations - from their technique to their personal interactions with us."
• "The Summer Programme opened up many questions; it engaged me in a way that has inspired a deep yearning and quest for knowledge in this field. It met my expectations in that it articulated questions and ways of thinking that require deeper study. It provided a taste of a subject that is vast and deep and therefore requires much dialogue, thought, research and personal historical exploration."
• "This Programme was very thought provoking and left me with many more questions then I started with."