CAIS staff and students took the opportunity today to welcome a new member of staff - A/Prof. Karima Laachir. 

A/Prof Laachir comes to CAIS from the Department of the Languages and Cultures of the Near Middle East, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), at University of London.

CAIS Acting Director, Professor James Piscatori welcomed Karima by saying she would bring a spirit of leadership, collegiality and collaboration to the Centre. Prof. Piscatori noted that Prof. Laachir would be CAIS Director from January 2020. He said  A/Prof. Laachir's field of study - Cultural and Postcolonial Studies of the Middle East and North Africa would add a new dimension to the Centre that will enrich both its curriculum and research.

A/Professor Laachir responded by saying she was very happy to be at CAIS and to have met many of the staff and students in her first weeks. She said everyone had been very welcoming and she looked forward to working with a great team into the future.