Patric O. Schaerer

Patric O. Schaerer, Dr., serves as both IT manager at the Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies (AOI) and Lecturer for Arabic, Persian, and Islamic Studies at the University of Zurich's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. His dual role combines technical leadership with academic instruction, having taught language and subject courses since summer semester 2005 while managing IT operations since fall semester 2008.

Dr. Schaerer's academic background includes a PhD in Islamic and Oriental Studies under Prof. Dr. U. Rudolph and Prof. Dr. R. Würsch, along with a Licentiate from the Faculty of Philosophy at University of Zurich with majors in Islamic Studies (Arabic and Persian), Philosophy, and International Law. His career path shows progression from research assistant positions at both University of Zurich and ETH Zurich to his current dual-role position.

His research focuses on medieval Islamic philosophy, particularly the reception of Avicenna's works. His current major project examines ʿUmar b. Sahlān al-Sāwī (fl. c. 1130) and his innovative approaches to Avicennan philosophy. His scholarly work demonstrates expertise in translating and interpreting significant philosophical texts from Arabic and Persian, contributing to cross-cultural philosophical understanding.

Dr. Schaerer's publications reveal consistent scholarly engagement with Islamic intellectual history, particularly focusing on the intersections between philosophy, literature, and religious thought. His work shows particular strength in analyzing didactic elements in philosophical narratives and tracing intellectual connections across cultural boundaries, as seen in his comparative work on Avicenna and Hermetic traditions.

As IT manager, he provides technical leadership for the Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies, maintaining infrastructure and supporting digital resources for teaching and research. His technical expertise complements his academic work, creating a unique interdisciplinary profile that bridges humanities scholarship with information technology.