University Secretary's Department Statutes and Regulation

R7.262 - The Altajir Lectureship in Middle East and Islamic Studies

 

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Recitals-

  1. In or about April 1995, the Altajir Trust of 33 Thurloe Place London in the United Kingdom (‘donor’) donated the sum of £200,000, which the University advised would represent approximately one half of the estimated total cost of endowing a lectureship at the University.
  2. The donor confirmed in a fax dated 25 February 1995 ‘...that a new post will be established for ‘Middle East & Islamic Studies’. This will cover historical and contemporary affairs, but no theological, linguistics or language studies...’
  3. The donor then indicated in a fax dated 10 July 1995 that ‘...this Trust’s donation to Melbourne University represents about half the cost of setting up this permanent post in the Department of History. It is our intention that this capital sum be used in the setting up and meeting expenses properly incurred in staffing and/or running the lectureship. Such expenditure will be at the discretion of the Department of History...’
  4. The University accepted the funds from the donor on the basis that it would assume the costs of establishing and maintaining the lectureship (over and above the sum of £200,000 contributed by the donor).
  5. The University further accepted that the lectureship position needed to be maintained on a continuing basis, subject to any inevitable staff changes, with any vacancy to be filled on a prompt basis or otherwise allocated to another member of the academic staff of the school of Historical Studies.
  6. The Altajir Trust is a United Kingdom registered charity founded by His Excellency Mahdi Altajir, a former Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Britain. The trust promotes Islamic studies by Muslim and non-Muslim scholars and the advancement and appreciation of Islamic culture. It also provides scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students from various countries to undertake studies in the United Kingdom.
  7. At 15 September 2008 the amount of the fund was $112,699.59.

It is provided as follows-

  1. The sum of $112,699.59, and any accumulations and additions to the sum, forms a fund called ‘The Altajir Lectureship in Middle East and Islamic Studies’ (‘fund’) and the fund must be paid into an investment pool and remain there until Council directs otherwise.
  2. The University is responsible for all costs relating to the establishment and maintenance of a lectureship by the name of ‘The Altajir Lecturer in Middle East and Islamic Studies’ (‘lectureship’), such lectureship to cover historical and contemporary affairs, not theological, linguistic or language studies.
  3. The costs of the lectureship cover the remuneration, including superannuation, of the person who holds the lectureship from time to time, and such other costs of maintaining the lectureship as the head of the school of Historical Studies (‘head’) considers appropriate.
  4. The University, on the recommendation of the head, may apply such part of the capital and income of the fund as it deems appropriate towards the cost of establishing and maintaining the lectureship on an ongoing basis.
  5. Subject to section 6, the University’s obligations under this regulation to maintain the lectureship continue in existence whether or not the amount in the fund is sufficient to pay all or part of those costs from time to time, and need to be performed in a way which is at all times consistent with the terms of Recital E.
  6. The University may change the name and the terms of the lectureship with the written approval of the donor or its successor.
  7. Subject to the foregoing, any appointment to the lectureship is to be on such terms as the University on the recommendation of the dean of the faculty of Arts determines.
[Made 16/3/09]
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