Seminar explores international students' religious needs

Associate Professor Shahjahan Khan said USQ had been used as a case study in the research

The complex religious needs of international students studying in Australia and Japan will be discussed during a seminar at USQ on Tuesday 8 March.

Kanazawa University Associate Professor Yumi Kishida will present her research findings on how universities accommodate the religious requirements of students, with a particular focus on Muslim students.

USQ Associate Professor Shahjahan Khan said USQ had been used as a case study for the research, which was undertaken between 2007 and 2009 by Professor Kishida.

'Associate Professor Kishida was concerned by a decline in the number of international students studying in Japan,' he said. 'She visited USQ several years ago to look at the University’s prayer facilities, management of the Islamic Centre and how Muslim students integrate into the local community.

'USQ is considered one of the best in Australia when it comes to international student satisfaction, so Associate Professor Kishida was keen to see how things were done here.'

Based on her previous visit at USQ, she published a research report which highlighted the USQ Islamic Centre and its operations with several photos and statements from Professor Khan. Her second visit to USQ is a clear indication of the key place USQ plays in her research.

Associate Professor Kishida’s research specifically refers to the forms and the numbers of prayer facilities, their operations as well as the perceptions of university staff toward accommodating religious needs of Muslim students, and poses a discussion on how public, secular universities could/should involve religious services equitably.

Associate Professor Kishida specialises in international education and organises special programs for and gives guidance to international students in the field of natural science and engineering besides teaching courses.

She has published papers and chapters with special interest in issues of cultural difference and ethnic/racial relationship within the context of education: education of ethnic Koreans in Japan, Immigrants education in Canada, and recently Muslim international students in Japanese and Australian universities.

The seminar, to be held in lecture theatre Q502 at 12.30pm on Tuesday 8 March, is hosted by USQ’s Multicultural Centre.

Contact Details:
Madeleine Tiller, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1163, 0423 166 307