Department of Creed Holds Academic Meeting to Review Curriculum
The Department of Creed and Contemporary Doctrines at the College of Islamic Studies, Islamic University of Minnesota - Main Center, held an extensive academic meeting on Saturday, November 22, 2025. The session was chaired by the Head of Department, Professor Dr. Imad Al-Din Al-Ajeeli, with the attendance of faculty members, to discuss a range of academic and organizational matters.
Dr. Al-Ajeeli opened the meeting by welcoming the faculty individually and stressing the importance of adhering to the scheduled teaching timeline and uploading assignments via the university’s electronic portal. He also praised the efforts of Ms. Anisa Ahmed Al-Zakkari, Administrative Affairs Officer, for her role in disseminating assignment guidelines and monitoring their implementation.
The meeting addressed the review of curricula and study plans, where the Head of Department emphasized the need to expedite the preparation of the department’s academic textbook. He pointed to areas of overlap between master’s and doctoral courses, calling for scholarly consultation to reorganize and revise the courses in order to achieve the desired academic integration.
In the context of academic proposals, Dr. Imam Al-Khudrawi presented a suggestion to introduce “Philosophy of Religion” as one of the department’s courses, highlighting its importance and the need to teach it as an official subject without a purely critical perspective. The proposal was welcomed by the Head of Department, who suggested offering it at the doctoral level. Dr. Amer Al-Mashharawi also stressed the importance of maintaining “Comparative Religion” as a core discipline in postgraduate studies and missionary work. The proposal received clear support from the Head of Department, who confirmed the adoption of both subjects within the department’s curriculum.
Regarding the enhancement of research skills among students, Dr. Anwar Al-Jurf proposed strengthening students’ academic writing abilities by training them on research principles and assigning short research papers. The Head of Department commended this approach and suggested dedicating one lecture by each instructor to train students on proper research methodology, in addition to incorporating a research paper component into course grading to reinforce practical application and scholarly development.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Professor Dr. Imad Al-Din Al-Ajeeli extended his appreciation to all attendees for their academic contributions, with special acknowledgment to Dr. Anwar Al-Jurf, Dr. Amer, Associate Professor Dr. Mohammed Al-Ghandour, Dr. Elias, Associate Professor Dr. Majed, Dr. Ahmed, Dr. Mohammed Bahr, and Mr. Sameer, the department secretary. He confirmed that the meeting was “fruitful and constructive,” and that the report would be submitted to the Vice President and Dean of the College for follow-up and necessary action.
