About IASH

It provides an international, interdisciplinary and autonomous space for discussion and debate. Since its foundation, more than 1,500 scholars from 70 countries have held Institute fellowships; and up to 28 Fellows are in residence at any one time. Housed in a secluded 19th-century courtyard overlooking the Meadows, the Institute is adjacent to most centres of University activity.

IASH has been the university’s home for visiting scholars in the arts, humanities and social sciences for more than 50 years.

As an independent institute, IASH serves all Schools within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS), acting as an agile, flexible and responsive promoter of internationalisation and new research cultures. We seed new strategic partnerships at all levels from peer-to-peer networking to major institutional linkages. IASH can move fast if an opportunity for network-building emerges, helping to cement collaboration or reciprocal exchange more quickly.

IASH supports university colleagues in a variety of ways: we routinely act as a test-bed for novel interdisciplinary research collaborations such as medical humanities; we pump-prime and sustain cross-College initiatives like RACE.ED and GENDER.ED by providing seed funding, professional services, event management and advice; we build networks at early-career, mid-career and senior levels by bringing together colleagues from around the world to develop grants or build joint research projects.

Historically, IASH has been a pioneer of interdisciplinary working within and beyond our College since 1969, from digital humanities to decoloniality. We are always scanning the horizon for new developments in advanced research that could benefit CAHSS – quantum humanities, for example – allied with social impact via knowledge exchange with a wide range of stakeholders.

For more information on IASH and its activities, you can read our latest annual report:

IASH Annual Report 2024-25 | Click here to read.