The Centre for Islamic Knowledge (CIK) is pleased to announce its second annual Summer Academic Intensive, to be held at the historic Süleymaniye Madrasa in Istanbul, Türkiye, from July 18–26, in collaboration with İbn Haldun University.
Set within one of the most significant intellectual landmarks of the Ottoman scholarly tradition, this nine-day program brings together a distinguished faculty of internationally recognized scholars to deliver a rigorous and immersive academic experience. Participants will engage both foundational and specialized subjects across the Islamic intellectual tradition, while also exploring contemporary scholarly debates and methodological questions.
In addition to structured coursework, the program will include guided visits to leading Turkish academic institutions, offering students an opportunity to encounter living traditions of scholarship and to engage with the broader intellectual landscape of Istanbul.
Set within one of the most significant intellectual landmarks of the Ottoman scholarly tradition, this nine-day program brings together a distinguished faculty of internationally recognized scholars to deliver a rigorous and immersive academic experience. Participants will engage both foundational and specialized subjects across the Islamic intellectual tradition, while also exploring contemporary scholarly debates and methodological questions.
In addition to structured coursework, the program will include guided visits to leading Turkish academic institutions, offering students an opportunity to encounter living traditions of scholarship and to engage with the broader intellectual landscape of Istanbul.
Accepting Applications (Deadline May 15th, 2026)
For any questions or further information, please reach out to us at [email protected].
Faculty
Venue
Fees
Admissions Requirements
Faculty
Confirmed Faculty Include:
Additional faculty will be announced shortly.
Venue
The Summer Academic Intensive will be held within the Süleymaniye Madrasa Complex in Istanbul, a 16th-century institutional center of higher learning commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent and designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan. Constructed between 1550 and 1557, the complex represented the highest tier of the Ottoman madrasa system and functioned as a principal site of advanced scholarly training within the empire.
The Süleymaniye complex formed the apex of a carefully structured educational hierarchy. Its constituent colleges—including the Darulhadis (dedicated to advanced hadith studies), Darulkurra (specializing in Qur’anic sciences), and other senior madrasas—were associated with the training of jurists, theologians, exegetes, and scholars who would go on to occupy leading judicial and religious offices. In this respect, the Süleymaniye was not simply a local institution but a central node in the intellectual infrastructure of the Ottoman world.
Situated on one of Istanbul’s historic hills, the complex became architecturally and symbolically intertwined with the city’s scholarly identity. For several centuries, it remained among the most prestigious sites of Islamic higher learning in the eastern Mediterranean, reflecting both the institutional maturity of the Ottoman educational system and its integration of transmitted (naqlī) and rational (ʿaqlī) sciences.
In recent years, İbn Haldun University has restored several of the historic madrasa buildings within the complex—including the Mulazimler Madrasah, Darulhadis, Darulkurra, Salis Madrasah, and Imaret—and returned them to academic use. These structures now house the University’s Alliance of Civilizations Institute and Faculty of Islamic Sciences, thereby reactivating the site as a contemporary setting for advanced study.
The Süleymaniye complex formed the apex of a carefully structured educational hierarchy. Its constituent colleges—including the Darulhadis (dedicated to advanced hadith studies), Darulkurra (specializing in Qur’anic sciences), and other senior madrasas—were associated with the training of jurists, theologians, exegetes, and scholars who would go on to occupy leading judicial and religious offices. In this respect, the Süleymaniye was not simply a local institution but a central node in the intellectual infrastructure of the Ottoman world.
Situated on one of Istanbul’s historic hills, the complex became architecturally and symbolically intertwined with the city’s scholarly identity. For several centuries, it remained among the most prestigious sites of Islamic higher learning in the eastern Mediterranean, reflecting both the institutional maturity of the Ottoman educational system and its integration of transmitted (naqlī) and rational (ʿaqlī) sciences.
In recent years, İbn Haldun University has restored several of the historic madrasa buildings within the complex—including the Mulazimler Madrasah, Darulhadis, Darulkurra, Salis Madrasah, and Imaret—and returned them to academic use. These structures now house the University’s Alliance of Civilizations Institute and Faculty of Islamic Sciences, thereby reactivating the site as a contemporary setting for advanced study.
Fees
The fee for the Summer Academic Intensive this year is $600 USD. This amount covers tuition, lunch, and refreshments. Please note that accommodations, breakfast and dinner will be the responsibility of the participant.
Admissions Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Undergraduate-level education: Applicants are required to have, at least, an undergraduate degree from a post-secondary institution. Applicants with higher degrees will be more competitive. Education in a specific field is not required. And while the Admission Committee does not stipulate a minimum GPA (as part of its holistic approach), a strong academic performance will make for a more competitive application.
Intermediate-level Islamic knowledge: While it is not a requirement for applicants to have trained in Islamic Studies at a formal institution, intermediate proficiency in Islamic sciences is expected, and advanced proficiency is desirable. The Admissions Committee will pay particular attention to the core sciences, such as: Fiqh, Ḥadīth, and ‘Aqīda.
Arabic proficiency: As a benchmark, applicants are expected to be able to read and comprehend a text such as Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr with occasional use of a dictionary.
Undergraduate-level education: Applicants are required to have, at least, an undergraduate degree from a post-secondary institution. Applicants with higher degrees will be more competitive. Education in a specific field is not required. And while the Admission Committee does not stipulate a minimum GPA (as part of its holistic approach), a strong academic performance will make for a more competitive application.
Intermediate-level Islamic knowledge: While it is not a requirement for applicants to have trained in Islamic Studies at a formal institution, intermediate proficiency in Islamic sciences is expected, and advanced proficiency is desirable. The Admissions Committee will pay particular attention to the core sciences, such as: Fiqh, Ḥadīth, and ‘Aqīda.
Arabic proficiency: As a benchmark, applicants are expected to be able to read and comprehend a text such as Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr with occasional use of a dictionary.
