He was a National Scholar at the Centre for Advanced Study in History (1977–79) and the recipient of the University Medal in 1979.
in modern history at Wadham College on an Oxford Overseas Scholarship in 1983.
Nizami has been described as having "contributed much towards a better understanding of inter-racial and inter-religious relations all over the world".
He is a member of the faculties of History and Oriental studies at the University of Oxford.
He is chairman of the academic council of Wilton Park, U.K, member, academic committee, Cumberland Lodge, U.K, member, steering committee C-100, World Economic Forum, Davos (2004–2007), member, international advisory panel, World Islamic Economic Forum, Malaysia (2004–08), member, Council of the Al-Falah Programme, University of California, Berkeley (2000–2005), member, advisory board, Duke University’s Islamic Studies Centre, member of the court of Oxford Brookes University, member, Christian Muslim Forum (2005–09), patron, Oxford Amnesty Lectures, director, Oxford Inspires, (2002–2003), member, advisory board, Dialogues Project, World Policy institute, New School University, NY (2003–), governor, Magdalen College School, Oxford (2005–).