The Interdepartmental Center for Islamic Sciences "CISDI" was founded in 2000, to bring together scholars of various disciplines from the University of Bologna and beyond around themes such as Arabic language and literature, history of Islamic countries, archaeology, cinema, theatre, music and law.
CISDI's numerous initiatives were mainly aimed at the cities of Bologna and the Romagna ones, also in order to make Islamic culture better known.
In 2016 a new agreement between the Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna and the Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University was signed, transforming the previous center into the new King Abdulaziz Chair for Islamic Studies "KAIS".
The Scientific Committee includes Prof. Ahmad Addous (President), Prof. Carlo Saccone and Prof. Daniele Donati
The Chair is coordinated by Prof. Nicolò Marchetti