The University of Münster in Germany has established a new Faculty of Islamic Studies, elevating the field to the status of an independent academic discipline at the university.

The faculty was inaugurated at a ceremony attended by representatives of universities, government institutions, and religious organizations from Germany and abroad, Preporod reported.

The event also highlighted the long-standing experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina in institutional Islamic education in Europe. Dževada Šuško, head of the Department for International Cooperation and Diaspora Affairs within the Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina, participated in a panel discussion titled “Religious Studies in a Pluralistic Society: Expectations and Perspectives.”

The panel also featured Antje Schavan, Germany’s former federal minister of education and research, and Fahimah Ulfat, a professor of Islamic religious education and teaching methods.

The inauguration ceremony was opened by Johannes Wessels, rector of the University of Münster. The new faculty is headed by Mouhanad Khorchide, a scholar of Palestinian origin.

The establishment of the faculty represents a new stage in the institutional development of Islamic studies at the University of Münster. It provides a dedicated academic framework for research and teaching on Islam, extending beyond the field’s previous treatment within religious education and broader Islamic studies.

The discussions also focused on the role of institutional Islamic education in the European context, with particular attention given to the experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants highlighted the Faculty of Islamic Studies at the University of Sarajevo, which has played a longstanding role in preserving and developing Islamic higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is among Europe’s oldest institutions specializing in Islamic studies.

The possibility of strengthening cooperation between the universities of Münster and Sarajevo was also discussed. Representatives of the University of Münster expressed interest in maintaining ties with academic institutions and the Islamic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including through faculty and student exchanges, joint academic projects, and engagement with Bosnia’s experience in Islamic studies and interfaith dialogue.

The establishment of the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Münster marks the culmination of a long process of developing and institutionalizing Islamic studies within Germany’s higher education system.