German universities to offer degrees in Islamic theology

Germany will announce a plan on Monday to offer training programs for students who wish to become Muslim spiritual leaders, or imams, the country's top academic body said.

The German Council of Science and Humanities, composed of senior government officials and professors, called for institutes of Islamic theology to be established at two to three universities initially.

It added that the training of imams and Muslim schoolteachers should be an accepted program of study awarded with a university degree.

Germany's education minister Annette Schavan welcomed the council's decision. 

"Training Moslem religion teachers and developing Islamic studies... is part of a decisive integration policy in a modern society," Schavan said.

The advisory panel had been working on a report over the last two years focused on reforming the teaching of theology at Germany universities, in particular Christian, Jewish, and Islamic theology.