Supporting Statement for OCIS Graduate Scholarship 2020-21

This document presents a student's supporting statement for the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) Graduate Scholarship. The statement addresses three key questions: the relevance of the proposed studies at Oxford University to the Muslim world, the student's ideal career development over the next ten years, and how they plan to contribute to the OCIS community as a scholar and after graduation. The student, pursuing a PhD in Information, Communication, and the Social Sciences, emphasizes the importance of education, awareness of technology, and addressing social issues within the Muslim community. They aim to leverage their education to promote higher education, financial independence, and technological advancements. The student also outlines their career aspirations in cyber security and national security, along with their commitment to supporting the OCIS community through networking, guest lectures, and financial contributions to the scholarship program.

Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Graduate Scholarships
2020-21
Scholarship Supporting Statement
Please ensure the statement is uploaded together with your graduate application form.
Supporting Statement
Surname: Click here to enter text.
First name(s): Click here to enter text.
Proposed programme of study: Click here to enter text.
Please answer the 3 questions below using the space provided. Please do not add additional pages, the text box
will expand as you type. Before uploading please sign the declaration at the bottom.
1. Please explain, in a maximum of 500 words, how your proposed studies at the University of Oxford are of
relevance to the Muslim world.
I have enrolled for doing PHD in Information, Communication And The Social Sciences at Oxford University.
The course enables me to get a better grip over the social implication of the use of Internet. Since the course
emphasises upon the ability to formulate research question and prove a hypothesis, I would be able to find a
rational behind the various social problems. The majority of Muslims living in Britain are still living in poverty,
and have no access to education. Through the course in the prestigious Oxford University, I hope to create a
greater awareness in my community about the importance of education and why it is important for the overall
wellbeing of the society. Through my education, I aspire to inspire more people from my community to go for
higher education and become financial independent in their life.
The Muslim community is marred with ignorance and religious blindness. The Muslims have always
neglected social sciences. The branch of social science is contrasting to Islamic sciences and
emphasizes upon the experimental approach. The branch of social science is more focussed towards
comprehending and defining the world the way they are in reality than proposing the way they should
be. The knowledge gained through the course will help to enlighten the people of my community and
ward off any misconception and myths that they have been harbouring. It will be easy to help my
community people see a better perspective of the world. The learnings of the course will equip the
Muslims to shed the rigid practices and conservative thought process of their community.
The Muslim world is still lagging behind in the field of technology compared to other societies around
the world. The general awareness level of technology and ICT related knowledge is poor in the
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Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Graduate Scholarships
2020-21
Scholarship Supporting Statement
community. However, their knowledge level does not imply that they are not able to afford the various
innovations made in the information and communication technologies. The Islamic community have
great taste and they also possess the monetary power to afford the same. Through the knowledge
gained during my proposed study in Oxford, I would create awareness about the use of internet and
various communication technologies amongst Muslim community. The modern and innovative
product of the information technologies will give the competitive edge to the Muslim community,
which they can utilise to promote the small scale industries and businesses. Further, the innovations
will also be an advantage to the women in the Muslim community, who have been deprived of the
opportunities of the business world. They could take the advantage of the virtual world and grow their
own business without having to venture out very far from their homes. This would also make them
financially independent and make an identity of their own in the male dominated world.
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Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Graduate Scholarships
2020-21
Scholarship Supporting Statement
2. Please explain, in a maximum of 300 words, how you would like your ideal career to develop over the next
ten years.
I am greatly interested in having an assimilated career, which also focusses on the betterment of the society
along with personal gains. Being a software engineer and completed master in business management, I have
worked in a number of IT companies. I have the experience of managing numerous IT project for the
government and smart city smart government. I aspire to broaden my horizon in the internet world, and make
big as an IT professional. The reason I want to study about information technology is because I want to work
in Cyber security and protect the technology environment from the thread and cyber-attack and also
managing various projects in IT field. For this endeavour, I would like to gain more knowledge and experiences
about the threat towards cyber security and save the organisation I am working for from this threat. The
internet world is full of uncertainties and threat from nefarious elements in the world. With the advent of
digital world there has been a huge influx of information and data. The competition in the corporate world is
about the edge that an entity gains because of the competitive advantage they have with regards to the data
or information they possess. Thus, it is crucial to protect the data an organisation has and the job of cyber
security is to avert the theft of data and information. Through cyber security the damage to the information
technology system can also be averted. The issue of national security is very sensitive and any lapse can cost a
country dearly. Since I have a good number of exposure in my past with government organisation, I would like
to work for the national security in the digital world. I would like to help my country in protecting their data
and protect their IT infrastructure from any external threat.
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Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Graduate Scholarships
2020-21
Scholarship Supporting Statement
3. Please review the OCIS website, www.oxcis.ac.uk, and explain, in a maximum of 300 words, how you might
contribute to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies community as a scholar and after you leave Oxford?
The purpose of mine coming to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies is to make the most of the
learnings and grasp the knowledge to implement it later in my life. Along with the professional
learnings, I am also interested in learning a great deal of information about my community and
how to make a difference. As a scholar, I would abide by the rules ad regulation of the university,
and would volunteer for the various activities organised during my stay. I would make an
awareness of the scholarship program among my friends and families, and if I feel a deserving
candidate can make use of the same would encourage him or her to pursue for the scholarship
programs. After leaving the Oxford University, I would still be indebted by the learning and
experience I have achieved here and would keep supporting the university with whatever means I
could. As an alumni I would continue networking with my fellow batch mates, and visit the
university to take part in various social programs. Further, if I achieve something significant in
my professional career, would want to return as a guest lecturer to the college and share my
experiences and memories of the college with the students. I would try to be as active as possible
in my alumni circle, and team up with others so as to contribute to the the financial requirements
of the University towards awarding the scholarship program to my community students. Through
this endeavour, we would encourage more Muslim students to attain higher education, which
would in turn help to uplift our Muslim community. As an alumni and experienced person I would
also contribute in helping the student to achieve their goal and find their foothold in the
professional world.
Declaration:
I confirm that the information included in this statement is complete and accurate, to the best of my knowledge.
Candidates who are ordinarily resident in the UK only:
If your current country of ordinary residence is the UK (as stated on your Oxford graduate application form),
please tick the box to confirm you are from a Muslim community
Signed: Click here to enter text. Date: Click here to enter text.
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