Ramadan and Fasting in Higher Education

THIS EVENT IS ONLY OPEN TO ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE STAFF AND STUDENTS.

Ramadan is a sacred month in the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide. It’s a time of spiritual reflection, connection to God, self-discipline, and increased devotion to worship, marked by fasting from dawn until sunset. During this period, many Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, and other physical needs during daylight hours, focusing instead on prayer, reading the Quran, and charitable acts.

For Muslim students and colleagues, Ramadan can be both a deeply fulfilling and challenging time. While fasting is a central aspect of the month, it can bring about fatigue, hunger, and heightened sensitivity and resilience, especially in academic or work settings. As such, offering support and understanding to Muslim students and colleagues during this time can make a significant difference in their experience.

To mark the beginning of the month of Ramadan, the RVC EDI Unit and the RVC Chaplaincy are working in collaboration to bring you a session on Ramadan and Fasting in Higher Education: how to support our Muslim students and colleagues AT THE RVC taking place online on the 12th of March, from 1-2PM (GMT). This session will be facilitated by Ahmed Uddin.

The aim of this session is to raise awareness and knowledge around Ramadan, and to offer an opportunity to better understand our Muslim students and colleagues’ experiences during this period.

It will also be an opportunity for teachers, supervisors, colleagues and line managers to ask questions to better understand Ramadan and discuss how they can support Muslim students and staff during this month.

About the speaker: Ahmed has worked in senior management roles in the development and humanitarian sector. He lectures at various universities on various topics, including sociology, development studies and Islamic studies. Previously he has worked as a Muslim Chaplain at the University of Portsmouth. Currently he heads up the programmes team for Mind, the Mental Health charity. He is also studying for his PhD in Mental Health.