LONDON, 10 August — Muhammad ibn Isa Al-Jaber, a prominent Saudi businessman, was among the three distinguished international personalities who received fellowships of the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London recently.
The other two fellowships were awarded to African Nobel Prize winner Professor Wole Soyinka and Sir Tim Lancaster, former director of SOAS. They were awarded during a graduation ceremony at Logan Hall in appreciation of the recipients’ academic and cultural achievements.
Al-Jaber is the first Saudi to win the university’s fellowship. A university spokesman introduced Al-Jaber during the function and commended his academic and cultural contributions. He also noted Al-Jaber’s efforts to strengthen cooperation and understanding between the Arab world and Europe.
Lancaster, who served as SOAS director from 1996 to 2000, has played a major role in promoting research and studies at the school and making SOAS one of the prominent academic institutes in Britain.
Soyinka, a Nigerian, is the first African to win the international prize since 1986. He is not only a prominent academic but also a political activist.
