Rifaat Ebied

Biography

Rifaat Ebied is Foundation Professor of Semitic Studies at The University of Sydney. Prior to this appointment in 1979, he taught Arabic, Hebrew and Syriac at the University of St. Andrews (Scotland) and the University of Leeds (England). He has published extensively in the field of Semitic Studies in general and Arabic, Islamic, Hebrew and Syriac Studies in particular. His publications include numerous books and articles of edited Arabic and Syriac medieval texts as well as various entries in the new edition of The Encyclopedia of Islam. He is a member of the Advisory and Editorial Boards of many international scholarly Associations and Organizations. He is also Editor/Associate Editor of a number of scholarly Journals, including Sayyab Translation Journal (STJ), an Internationally peer-reviewed Journal of Arabic/English Translation Studies. Professor Ebied served as Chair of the Arabic Examiners Panel of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) from 1981 to 2006 and is currently a member of this Panel. He also served as Chair of the NSW Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) of NAATI in the 1980’s. As Chair of the Arabic Syllabus Committee and the Arabic Examination Committee of the NSW Board of Studies 1981-2001, he was instrumental in designing a number of Arabic Courses offered at the High School Certificate (HSC) in New South Wales and nationally. Professor Ebied is a Recipient of the Centenary Medal April, 2003 for Services to Australia, the Humanities, and Asian Studies. He is also an Adjunct Professor of the Australian Catholic University.