He is a Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic, author and activist but now Mr Mehmet Ozalp can add role model to the list following recognition at the 2012 Australian Muslim Achievement Awards of his work within the community.

 

Mr Ozalp is Director of CSU’s Centre for Islamic Sciences and Civilisation. During the recent annual national awards ceremony in Melbourne he was named the Muslim Role Model of the Year Award.

 

The Centre for Islamic Sciences and Civilisation is based in Auburn in Sydney’s west and was established in 2011 by CSU and the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy of Australia (ISRA) to offer Islamic postgraduate and undergraduate courses.

 

“I was surprised by being named the recipient of the Muslim Role Model of the Year Award,” Mr Ozalp said. “However, I feel the award is recognition of the team spirit in the Centre for Islamic Sciences and Civilisation and the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy of Australia.

 

“The key difference with the Islamic studies program at Charles Sturt University compared with other institutions is that we focus on Islam as a religion rather than merely adopting a cultural or political approach to our studies.

 

“The program aims to pass on the knowledge needed by our students to help Islam and Australian Muslims find a place and identity in this country and help social cohesion.”

 

A strong supporter of inter-faith dialogue, Mr Ozalp co-founded the Affinity Intercultural Foundation in 2000 and served as its president and executive officer until 2009. The Foundation works to improve understanding and acceptance between Australian Muslims and the wider society.

 

In 2012, Mr Ozalp’s latest book, Islam between tradition and modernity: An Australian perspective, was published by Barton Books. He also co-authored a chapter, ‘Youth identity formation in the presence of ‘other’: Reflections on being young and Muslim in an interfaith setting’ in the book, Women in Islam: Reflections on Historical and Contemporary Research published by Springer.

 

In addition to his writing, lecturing and advocacy for Australian Muslims, Mr Ozalp is studying for his PhD in Islamic theology at the University of Sydney.