Founded in 1977 under the auspices of the Agha Khan, the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) based in London, United Kingdom, has since then been promoting scholarship and learning of Muslim cultures and societies, historical as well as contemporary, and a better understanding of their relationship with other societies and faiths.
The IIS’ interdisciplinary graduate and continuing education programmes focus upon Shi‘ism -with particular attention paid to Ismaili studies-, Qur’anic studies, and Central Asian studies. In addition to teaching, the Institute has very been active in the publishing of original scholarly research, and developed a number of series : Qur’anic studies, Shi’i Heritage, Ismaili Heritage, Ismaili Texts and Translations, Muslim Heritage, and the Encyclopedia Islamica. Last, the IIS and the Agha Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations share a rich library supporting the teaching and research needs of both communities, and preserving a unique collection of Ismaili heritage materials.
Over the years, the Institute of Ismaili Studies has been collaborating with several higher education institutions such as McGill University, the University of London’s Institute of Education, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the University of Jordan, as well as with individual faculty-members of a number of universities in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
The website allows to learn more about, or keep abreast of, the IIS’ numerous scholarly activities:
- News and Events(conferences, workshops, book launches, etc.)
- Publications(publications catalogues)
- Research(on-going research projects, fellowships and scholarships)
- Special Collections(collection, policies and procedures
- Graduates Studies(description of programs)
- Learning Center
- Library(collection, policies and procedures).
IIS' website is accessible in four languages : English, French, Arabic, and Russian.