In 2005, the United Nations, by the sponsorship of the governments of Spain and Turkey, established the Alliance of Civilizations Initiative (UNAOC) with the purpose of addressing “roots of polarization between societies and cultures today, and to recommend a practical programme of action.” In order to provide an academic basis for this vision, the Alliance of Civilizations Institute (ACI) was established as a graduate institution in 2010, then as part of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University in Istanbul. Since 2017, ACI has carried on its research and teaching activity as a graduate institute of Ibn Haldun University. Multidisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Approach The program analyzes different civilizations through a comparative perspective. The students enrolled in the program investigate civilizations adopting an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach fed by various disciplines such as religion, art, literature, history, sociology, and political science. The faculty at our Institute regard different disciplines not as different areas of research but as complementary perspectives that aim to analyze humanity’s common issues. Students coming to our Institute from different corners of the world with awareness of different problems, choose a particular issue which they tackle through a particular research question and strive to answer this question through the thesis writing process. Multilingual Education In our courses, we encourage students to be aware of the strong connections between civilizations, and languages – as carriers of civilizations. Our Institute by nature is multilingual as it studies multiple civilizations. While English is the language of instruction in most courses, we provide language learning support in Turkish and Arabic as well. Qualification Awarded Students who have completed all the required courses and their chosen electives, and then defended their thesis successfully gain the right of receiving a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the Department of Civilization Studies Recognition of Prior Learning Students who have gained admission after having studied at other higher education establishments can ask for transfer of credit for the courses they have completed successfully at their previous institution. The Institute Board may accept or reject the application. Assessment and Grading
For matters concerning exams and other assessments, the institute is subject to the 23rd article of Ibn Haldun University Education and Exam Regulations for Graduate Studies. Employment Opportunities Our students may be employed in: We believe that at the heart of academic inquiry lies the ability to problematize the familiar. Therefore, our program encourages students to perceive and pursue what is problematic in the most normalized social, political, cultural, and religious practices of their own milieu. The Institute thus works to inspire students to undertake projects guided by such original questions that have been formulated through the knowledge of the literature. Formulating questions is thus an integral part of the education at the Institute. By the completion of the Civilization Studies PhD program, students will be able to Currently, there are nearly a hundred students at our Institute, coming from forty different countries. With our diverse body of students and our esteemed faculty from different disciplines and universities from all over the world, MEDIT/ACI is a polyphonic family. Each year we receive hundreds of applications from Turkey and abroad. We apply the highest standards in our selection process and admitted students continue their education with generous scholarships.
Our students engage in social projects and teamwork. Led by our faculty and the student body in turn, we organize MA and PhD writing workshops, weekly conferences and conduct research projects. Our unique academic/institutional environment cherishes and facilitates staff-student interaction and cooperation.History of the Program
