Board of Directors
A diverse group of scholars and professionals committed to advancing intercultural understanding through research, education, and global collaboration.
Prof. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Sixth President Republic of Mauritus
Prof. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim served as the 6th and first female President of Mauritius (2015–2018). Sebelum menjabat sebagai presiden, ia merupakan Managing Director CIDP Research and Innovation dan Professor of Organic Chemistry di University of Mauritius, serta pernah menjabat sebagai Dean of the Faculty of Science dan Pro Vice-Chancellor (2004–2010). Ia juga pernah bekerja sebagai Manager for Research di Mauritius Research Council (1995–1997). Atas kontribusinya di bidang sains, ia menerima berbagai penghargaan internasional, termasuk USP-CePAT Award dan Norman Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award (2017), Order of St. George (2018), Trailblazing Award for Political Leadership (2019), serta IETI 5th Annual Scientific Award (2020).
Prof. Ross E. Dunn
Professor Emeritus of History at San Diego State University
An American historian and Professor Emeritus at San Diego State University, widely recognized as a pioneer in world history studies, with expertise in Islamic and African history as well as comparative global perspectives. He is the author of the influential book The Adventures of Ibn Battuta and the founder of the digital curriculum project World History for Us All, contributing significantly to the advancement of global approaches in history education.
Prof. Mustapha Abdul Hamid, Ph.D
Ghanaian politician and lecturer
A Ghanaian politician and academic, he has served as Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority and held key ministerial positions, including Minister of Information and Minister for Inner-City and Zongo Development. A member of the New Patriotic Party, he is recognized for his contributions to governance, public communication, and national policy development in Ghana.
Prof. Dr. Abbas Panakkal
University of St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
A historian and intercultural scholar based in Abu Dhabi, he is affiliated with the University of St Andrews and actively engaged in global academic networks. He serves as Director of the International Interfaith Harmony Initiative, leading international conferences and initiatives that promote interreligious dialogue and cross-cultural understanding. His work focuses on global history, decolonial studies, and intercultural engagement, contributing to scholarship and public discourse through research, publications, and international collaboration.
Prof. Dr. Hj. Nur Hidayah
Alauddin State Islamic University of Makassar, Indonesia
A nursing academic and professor at Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin Makassar, she became the first faculty member at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences to be appointed as a full professor in Nursing Management. She has served as a longtime lecturer and former deputy dean, delivered a keynote on future hospital and nursing service integration, and focuses on advancing nursing science through multidisciplinary research and education.
Tim Mackintosh-Smith
New York University Abu Dhabi
Tim Mackintosh-Smith is a British writer and traveler known for his works on the Arab world and the Middle East. He spent many years living in Sana’a and became widely recognized for retracing Ibn Battuta’s journeys and writing Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires.
Dr. Elsadiq Elfaqih
Secretary General of the Arab Thought Forum, Amman, Jordan
A seasoned diplomat, academic, and political analyst, he previously served as Ambassador of Sudan to Ethiopia, Jordan, and the State of Palestine, and as permanent representative to the African Union and Chairman of the Board of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. With leadership experience across political, diplomatic, media, and academic roles in cities including Khartoum, Washington, London, Istanbul, and Doha, he has taught at multiple universities and published widely on political communication, international relations, and diplomacy.
Prof. Dr. Aishath Muneeza
Former Deputy Minister, Ministry of Finance and Treasury the Republic of Maldives
An expert in Islamic finance and law, she is a Professor and Associate Dean at INCEIF University. She previously held senior government positions in the Maldives, contributing to the development of the country’s Islamic capital market and Shariah-compliant financial framework, and is actively engaged in research, advisory, and international leadership in Islamic finance.
Prof. Dr. Karima Nour Aissaoui
Faculty of OssoulEddine, Abdelmalek Saadi University, Morocco
A Professor of History of Religions at Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, she specializes in Comparative Religion and holds a PhD with Summa Cum Laude from Sais-Fez. An active scholar and institutional leader, she has authored several works on Abrahamic religions and biblical studies, contributing to interfaith dialogue and comparative religious research internationally.
Dr. Yuki Shiozaki
Associate Professor, School of International Relations, University of Shizuoka, Japan
A Japanese research fellow affiliated with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia at The University of Tokyo, he contributed a lead article to Studia Islamika analyzing the role of fatwas in regulating religious movements in Malaysia, reflecting his expertise in contemporary Islamic studies and Southeast Asian religious dynamics.
Prof. Mehrdad Shokoohy
Emeritus Professor, University of Greenwich.
In 2001 he was awarded the prestigious degree of Doctor of Science by Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh College of Art for his pioneering work in the field of South Asian studies. His works on South India and the maritime settlements include Bhadreśvar, the Oldest Islamic Monuments in India (1988), Muslim Architecture of South India, the sultanate of Ma‘bar and the traditions of the maritime settlers on the Malabar and Coromandel coasts (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa) (2003) and of Sources for Malabar Muslim Inscriptions, in: Malabar in the Indian Ocean: Cosmopolitanism in a Maritime Historical region (2018).
Dr. Natalie H. Shokoohy
Architectural historian specializing in little-researched sites in India and Nepal
With Mehrdad Shokoohy she has published numerous articles and scholarly books, aiming to record fragile historic urban environments for posterity. Their works introducing neglected aspects of the Muslim heritage of India include: Ḥiṣār-i Fīrūza, Sultanate and Early Mughal Architecture in the District of Hisar, India(1988), Nagaur, Sultanate and Early Mughal History and Architecture of the District of Nagaur, India (1993), Tughluqabad, a paradigm for Indo-Islamic urban planning and its architectural components, 2007, Bayana, the Sources of Mughal Architecture (2020) and Diu: Indo-Muslim and Portuguese history, urban fabric and architecture (2025)
Our Collaborative Approach
We operate without rigid hierarchies, emphasizing shared responsibility, intellectual exchange, and collective leadership. Every member contributes equally to advancing our mission of intercultural understanding.