The Institute of Ismaili Studies

The humanistic approach of Chingiz Aitmatov and his legacy worldwide

Register to attend this conference celebrating and commemorating the 95th anniversary of the magnificent writer with his friends, colleagues and people who knew and admired his work at the Aga Khan Centre.

IIS Accessible Book events in Tunisia and Tanzania

The authors of two new IIS publications: Fatimids 2 and Experiences of the Jamatkhana present their work and its importance to the jamat and academics across Africa.

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Call for papers: Historical and Contemporary Migrations of Central Asian Muslims

The conference aims to bring together scholars from various disciplines to discuss and exchange ideas on a wide range of topics related to the historical and contemporary regional and transnational migrations of Central Asian Muslims.

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The Annemarie Schimmel Fellowship awarded to Dr Soumen Mukherjee

Dr Soumen Mukherjee, Assistant Professor of History at Presidency University in Kolkata, is the sixth recipient of the IIS Annemarie Schimmel Fellowship.

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About us

The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) was established in 1977 as an academic institution of higher education. It is dedicated to the study of Islam, with a particular focus on the history, philosophy, law, and mysticism of Ismaili and broader Shi‘i intellectual and cultural heritages within the larger Muslim ummah.

Two STEP students reading the STEP curriculum and discussing something with each other

Graduate studies

The IIS currently offers two graduate programmes which attract students from world-wide Ismaili communities.

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Short courses

IIS Short Courses are designed to introduce participants to a social, cultural and civilisational approach to the study of Islam and Muslim societies, with a particular focus on Ismaili contexts.

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Fellowships and Scholarships

The IIS offers various scholarship and fellowship programmes to suitable candidates with a focus on Islamic Studies or other areas of interest to the IIS.

Learning Centre

The learning centre hosts a variety of additional educational materials such as reading guides for IIS publications, lists of recommended readings, for further exploration of several themes and topics.

Discover our research

Research at the IIS seeks to contribute to the field of Islamic studies in general, with a particular focus on Shi ‘i and Ismaili studies.

Explore our publications

The IIS publishes works by its own scholars as well as from the academic community outside the Institute.

Announcement

History Day 2023: Ismaili Special Collections Unit highlights some treasures from the collection

The Institute of Ismaili Studies Ismaili Special Collections Unit (ISCU) is taking part in History Day 2023 on 23rd November. Its participation highlights ISCU’s continuing initiatives to educate various audiences about the range of heritage material held at IIS along with facilitating access to these collections.

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