In the footsteps of the Dutch University of Utrecht, and in a controversial step, the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Leiden, the Netherlands – one of the most ancient European universities – announced a austerity plan that might lead to the abolition of the Islam and Arabic language program dating back to 4 centuries, as part of a series of budget reduction measures.
This possible decision comes as part of a broader plan to restructure academic programs due to an expected annual deficit of up to 5.7 million euros, resulting from high costs and decline in government financing. The plan includes reducing a large number of courses, canceling or merging academic specializations.
The Arabic Language Program at the University of Leiden is one of the oldest specialized programs in the Western world, and throughout its long history, it contributed to the formation of intellectual and diplomatic elites that have played pivotal roles in understanding and analyzing the Arab and Islamic world. During that period, the university formed an ancient collection of books and manuscripts.
However, the new plan suggests the abolition of all specializations related to the studies of Middle East, including Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hebrew, and Islamic Studies. This trend sparked angry reactions within the academic circles, as some considered that the university is that this exposes the cultural and cognitive pluralism at risk.
Future diplomats without Arabic?
In the midst of the general concern about the possibility of canceling the Arabic language program at the University of Leiden, the editorial of the Dutch newspaper “Trau” asks: “If the 400 -year -old academic program is canceled due to the budget deficit, from where will the future diplomats gain their acquaintances of Arab cultures?”
Also, Academics expressed their concern about the impact of this decision on the future of scientific research and the understanding of the Arab region, where one of the professors said: “We are facing a danger that we have a generation of diplomats and politicians who do not have the minimum knowledge of Arabic language and culture, and this is dangerous in a multi -polar world.”
Professor Joas Fakhmekraz, associate professor at the College of Islamic and Arab Studies at Utrecht University and the coordinator of the Bachelor of Islam and the Arabic Language Program, believes that “the intention to cancel the Bachelor of Islam, the Arabic language and religious studies is an inaccurate and unclear plan, and evidence of the absence of vision.” He adds that “there is great interest in the materials covered by the two programs, which is not surprising, as knowledge of the Arab world is essential. In addition, this program provides space for non -Western views, which is a great appreciation that the university takes over.”
Programs threatened with cancellation
At Utrecht and Laiden universities, many language programs are threatened to cancel, including Arabic. This is despite the ancient global reputation of the University of Leiden, which is proud to have one of the oldest Arabic language programs in Europe, a tradition dating back more than 400 years. For this reason, specifically, plans to cancel the program are a great concern for the orientalist Carrell Kirsten.
“I do not fully understand what they think they provide through this. It is not related to huge amounts of money, but rather the tremendous damage caused by the cancellation of a 400 -year -old program,” says Kirsten, a lecturer in “Kings College London” and an expert in Arab affairs.
“This university has – not a global reputation. It was established in the midst of the eighty -year war, and it survived the French and German occupations, and the colonial period. I find the decision to cancel Arabic language programs in universities very short. Administrative and organizational positions have multiplied five times, so I know where I should search.”
Mustafa Leden
Laiden University libraries maintain many of the very old Holy Quran pages in their eastern groups. Thanks to the analysis using the carbon-14 method, it seems now that the oldest of these pages dates back to the second half of the seventh century AD.
“In 2011, and in coordination from the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science, the German Society for Research and the French National Research Agency launched the” Quranica “international project to study the history of early Quranic texts,” says Karen Sheber, an expert in the field of booking and paper in Amsterdam and who holds a doctorate in “Islamic Books Traditions”.
“The research is not limited to the text itself, but also includes material fragments that can be accurately dating using the carbon-14 method. Because this research is costly and is only conducted in specialized laboratories, our answer was ‘yes’ when he was asked from Lyden University to participate in the project and analyze many of our Quranic fragments.”
“We have since received the test results. The date of the papyrus was set between 650 and 715 AD, that is, more than a century ago, which was previously believed, and it is likely that the oldest piece of slavery was written between 650 and 700 AD. This research confirms the age and importance of these texts, the oldest piece was written after the death of the Prophet Muhammad by about 30 to 70 years.”
Previously, cutting the Holy Quran on slavery and papyrus did not carry a specific history, and the history of the papyrus was reserved between almost 770 and 830 AD. And based on the long and tilted Arabic calligraphy known as “Al -Hijazi”, we knew that Laiden’s cutting was old, but we did not know exactly its age.
Closure at Utrecht University
Utrechcht University has confirmed that it is planning to cancel 6 studies of certificates – German, French, Islam, Italian, and Kittiyeh, and religious studies – by 2030. Programs that receive less than 25 new students annually, and were not profitable for years. This means that the admission of new students will stop from September 1.
“This is due to our continued preservation of a set of programs that have become expensive. With the cuts announced by the Council of Ministers, we have to reduce our expenses to a large extent. To avoid more deficit by 2030, we must reduce our expenses by 10%,” explains Thomas Weissens, Dean of the University of Humanities at the University.
Professor Joas Fakhmekraz replies: “If it becomes clear from the past twenty years that Islam and the Arab world are a source of great concern in both the Middle East and the Netherlands, and the year 2023-2024 may be the most prominent, however, the College of Humanities at Utrecht University announced that it sees the need to cancel 6 Bachelor’s programs, including the Islam and Arabic language program, as part of a transitional plan.”
Reactions
On social media, reactions continue. “Unfortunately, language studies are not a common choice, but their added value reduces them a lot. The study of these languages produces knowledge about the concerned culture, and produces consultants who can advise entrepreneurs, or translators who can translate instructions guides. Hence, we have experts who can provide less biased information,” says Matisse Holman.
“I find the disappearance of the German and French languages in Utrecht a very shocking thing. The fact that the university rejects these studies as” unprecedented ” indicates that profit, not knowledge, is the goal of an academic institution that was among the top 50 universities globally for years. “
As for Roland Dorland, he says sarcastically: “Well … after a few decades we will become part of the ‘Middle East’. Maybe it is time to study” ancient Dutch culture and history “? “It is shameful that these are the plans and that there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding them,” says Anna Rap.
While the kidneys work at Utrecht Universities and Leiden to reduce the number of courses to achieve a financial balance, the program defenders hope that the decision will be traced due to the importance of the Arabic language academic and geopolitical.
Although these recommendations are still under study, and it is expected that the final decision will be presented to the university council in the coming months, fears that the proposal will turn into a reality that increases with the passage of time, and then the wave of academics criticism of the decision increases.