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Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies Exeter

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Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies Exeter

IAIS is a leading centre for teaching and research in the UK and internationally. Email [email protected] for more info

With the largest concentration of Middle East Studies scholars at a British university, we offer the broadest range of Arabic and Middle East Studies programmes. The University of Exeter's Institute or Arab and Islamic studies is a world-leading provider of degree, postgraduate and PhD programmes in fields relating to the Middle East is culture, history and anthropology.

25/09/2026

✈️Student travel report✈️

Sam Lovegrove, a student at IAIS, was a recipient of The Prince Alwaleed Award, a prestigious scholarship providing students with the unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Arabic-speaking world through immersive experiences. It aims to enhance students' Arabic language proficiency and cultural knowledge.

Sam travelled to Morocco. Here's what he said about his experience:

"Alongside [Arabic language] study itself, the funding made it possible to get a more nuanced grip on the human texture of Morocco.

The kingdom offered memorable encounters such as a tour of Meknes with our local guide Nabiih, who introduced us to a Damascene silversmith, an almond roaster in the Jewish quarter, and the man who has heated the local hammam’s water pipes for over fifteen years.

We visited the Berber-Roman ruins at Volubilis and Moulay Idris’ mausoleum in his eponymous city.

The Alwaleed grant enabled me not only to develop my Arabic comprehension and textual analysis, but to confront some of the daily realities of Moroccan life — some heart-warming, others quietly devastating.

A trip to learn Arabic need not consist solely of architecture, gardens, and hospitality; it can include a reckoning with how people make sense of their lives under particular economic and political conditions. [My Arabic tutor's] story has made me more compassionate toward those who attempt dangerous border crossings, and more curious about the institutions — and their absences — that shape those conditions.

I return to Exeter for my final year with that curiosity intact, and with Arabic that feels, for the first time, genuinely accessible."

✈️The Prince Alwaleed Award can be applied for by students of IAIS and is generously funded by Alwaleed Philanthropies.✈️

Alwaleed Philanthropies University of Exeter Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

24/09/2026

Welcome to our new students from all of the staff at IAIS!

It was great to meet you all informally last week and lovely to see you in the Institute now that your studies have begun.

23/09/2026

Registration is now open for the University of Exeter Language Centre's Evening Language Programme, with courses starting from the week commencing 28 September 2026.

The Language Centre offers online and on-campus courses in 14 languages, from beginner to advanced level, including accredited British Sign Language (BSL) qualifications.

Language learning can support professional development, intercultural awareness, international collaboration and personal wellbeing. Plus, if you are a UoE staff member, you are eligible for a discount!

Further details, course information and booking links are available here or via the link in our bio: https://tr.ee/UhCCWvQ7a

18/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the launch of the DAME exhibition.

Speakers included:

William Gallois, Director of IAIS
Omar Sheikhmous, Kurdish politician and academic, co-founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). His archive is displayed in the exhibition
James Downs, DAME Project Manager and Archivist of Middle East Collections
Farangis Ghaderi, Director of the Kurdish Digital Archive (part of DAME) and the Centre for Kurdish Studies

Thanks to Martyn Windsor, who designed the layout of the exhibition and oversaw the production of all the materials.

You can visit the exhibition until October 30, 2026 at The Street Gallery,
Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
Stocker Road
University of Exeter

16/09/2026

Calling Humanities and Sociology and Business PG students!

Module Fair today
2.30pm
LT1, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies

15/09/2026

Welcome to IAIS students!

Welcome Talks start at 2pm today at the Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies.

Walk up the hill from the Forum, carry on past Peter Chalk and you will find us before you get to the Sports Hall!

14/09/2026

✈️Student travel report ✈️

Madeh Ahmadi, a postgraduate student at IAIS, was a recipient of The Prince Alwaleed Award, a prestigious scholarship providing students with the unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Arabic-speaking world through immersive experiences. It aims to enhance students' Arabic language proficiency and cultural knowledge.

Madeh travelled to Morocco. Here's what he said about his experience:

"My research is related to Security and Strategic interests in the Middle East and being able to understand and use primary and secondary sources written in Arabic is important for my research. One of my main aims for this trip was therefore to improve my basic Arabic skills and become more confident working with Arabic-language material.

During my stay, I regularly travelled to Hay Al-Qodes, where I worked with my Arabic teachers. I learned a great deal from them, not only about the Arabic language but also about the differences between Arabic dialects.

For example, I found it very interesting to compare words and pronunciation used in Iraqi Arabic with Moroccan Arabic (Darija). A simple example is the word “come”: in Iraqi Arabic I am familiar with “ta‘al” (تعال), while in Morocco I frequently heard “aji” (أجي).

I also became more familiar with the influence of Amazigh, French and other languages on everyday communication in Morocco. My teachers also helped me understand Arabic sources relevant to my research, including material discussing policy in the Middle East.

The trip was also a valuable cultural experience. Casablanca was extremely warm in August, which took some adjustment, particularly when travelling around the city during the day. However, experiencing daily life in Morocco, hearing Darija spoken around me and communicating with local people gave me an understanding of the language and culture that would be difficult to gain only through books or online learning.

I am very grateful to Ruth Smyth-Bonfield for her support and assistance. Her help made it possible for my travel plans to go ahead."

✈️The Prince Alwaleed Award can be applied for by students of IAIS and is generously funded by Alwaleed Philanthropies.✈️

11/09/2026

Happy Rosh Hashanah to our students, staff and followers who are celebrating this weekend. Shana Tova!

09/09/2026

It's nearly time....

The Digital Archive of the Middle East exhibition is being installed ready for the launch on Tuesday 15th September.

Amongst the collection on show will be part of an archive, comprising thousands of pages from diaries, personal documents and digital records, that has been donated by award-winning Palestinian author and human rights lawyer Raja Shehadeh.

You can read about the Shehadeh collection here or via the link in our bio: https://tr.ee/ZFw_rJiSRc

Dr James Downs, archivist of the University of Exeter’s Middle East collections and project manager of DAME, said: “The Digital Archive of the Middle East is dedicated to preserving rare documents and other archival materials, including those under threat of loss or destruction.

It has been a privilege to have had a role in supporting the digitisation of Raja Shehadeh’s diaries and other writings, and we aim to continue our involvement with Edinburgh University through collaborating in a larger project that will bring new readers to Raja’s work as well as ensuring the preservation of his papers and cultural legacy for generations to come.”

04/09/2026

New book available now.

GAZA RISING: Voices From the Rubble
Edited by Ramzy Baroud, Ilan Pappé and Romana Rubeo
Clarity Press

This book sheds light on the power of the Palestinian people of Gaza emanating from the voices of its own intellectuals, journalists, doctors, teachers, civil defense workers, artists, and community leaders. These powerful accounts illuminate Gazans’ struggles and unwavering commitment to persist as a people against all odds, facing the future with enduring solidarity and unshakeable resolve.

https://tr.ee/FcFj6BNQY_

Address

Stocker Road
Exeter
EX44ND

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://arabislamicstudies.exeter.ac.uk/, https://linktr.ee/exeteriais

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