Toronto Initiative for Iranian Studies

The Toronto Initiative for Iranian Studies builds on this history and will lay the groundwork for international conferences, research partnerships and faculty and student exchanges between Canada and the Persian-speaking world. Selected goals of the Toronto Initiative for Iranian Studies include:

Expand tricampus course offerings in Iranian studies

Initiate workshops, seminars and conferences, such as Iran and Iranian Studies in the 20th Century (Oct. 18-21, 2007) and the Seventh Biennial Conference on Iranian Studies (Aug. 7-11, 2008)

Summer research and language training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students

Develop a centralized depository for Iranian and Persianate materials (textual, visual, audio and electronic) from Iran and Persian-speaking diasporic communities

Exchange faculty and students between U of T and Iranian universities and research institutes

Fellowship for graduate students in Iranian studies

Recent expansion has brought a large cluster of Iranian Studies scholars to the three campuses of the University of Toronto. This growth has been most impressive at the Mississauga campus of the University of Toronto where since 2004 four new faculty have joined the Department of Historical Studies. Building upon the strength on the St. George Capus, these scholars have brought expertise on the History of Zoroastrian, Shi’i and Isma’ili Islam, Persian language and linguistics, and Iranian modernity and nationalism. Based at UTM, Toronto Initiative for Iranian Studies coordinates tricampus activities promotes close collaboration amongst Iranian Studies scholars at other Canadian institutions of higher education. Working closely with the Canadian media and Canadian-Iranian cultural organizations, TIFIS play a significant role in community education and the promotion of critical academic understanding of contemporary Iran and Iranian civilization.education and the promotion. of critical academic understanding of