Berkley Center

Osman Bakar is a distinguished professor and the director of the Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies at University Brunei Darussalam. His interests include Islamic theology and philosophy, as well as interfaith dialogue. An emeritus professor of philosophy of science at the University of Malaya's Department of Science and Technology Studies, he also founded the university’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue and served as a deputy vice chancellor. Other previous positions include the Malaysia Chair of Southeast Asian Islam at Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and deputy chief executive officer of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies in Malaysia. He was a member of the Council of 100 Leaders of the World Economic Forum's West-Islamic World Initiative for Dialogue. Bakar earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of London and doctorate in Islamic philosophy from Temple University.