Reflections on architectural education of the Muslim world within a global world

This commentary is premised on more than three decades of research into architectural education and design pedagogy. It argues that architectural education in the Muslim world must be able to operate effectively within the global condition. It contends that the body of knowledge on architectural education can be enriched and its scope can be expanded when both historical and contemporary imperatives are clearly contextualized. The text raises important questions for future discussions on this theme. Notwithstanding, the articles discusses some of the negative idiosyncrasies that follow models inherited from the past and adopt techniques practiced by their Western counterparts. It proposes a framework for incorporating Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as a paradigm for critical consciousness and the way in which it key techniques can be utilized. The thrust is that these techniques offer students learning opportunities that invigorated their capabilities to shift from passive listeners to active learners and from knowledge consumers to knowledge producers.