IAS Biennal Review 2020-22

During the height of the Covid 19 pandemic, the Institute hosted 101 international scholars, online and in person, as IAS Visiting and Residential Fellows.

In 2020-21, the Open Programme was suspended due to the pandemic, but we welcomed 34 Fellows to the Institute through our remaining programmes:

• 14 Fellows through the 8th IAS Annual Theme: Time
• 11 Fellows through the IAS Spotlight Series: Arctic Geopolitics
• 5 Fellows through the Design Leadership Summit on Applied Storytelling (in partnership with the School of Design and Creative Arts)
• 2 Fellows through the IAS Residential Fellowship Programme
• 1 Fulbright Scholar
• 1 British Academy Global Professor

In 2021-22, the Open Programme resumed, and we welcomed 67 Fellows to the Institute on our programmes:

• 30 Fellows through the 9th IAS Annual Theme: AI – Facts, Fictions, Futures
• 13 Fellows through the IAS Spotlight Series: Pacifism and Nonviolence
• 12 Fellows through the IAS Open Programme
• 7 Fellows (deferred from 20210-21) through the IAS Residential Fellowship Programme
• 3 Fellows through the 1st IAS Festival of Ideas: Transitions
• 1 Fulbright Scholar
• 1 Newton International Fellow

IAS Visiting Fellows 2020-21 and 2021-22 hailed from 25 countries:

• Europe: Germany, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Greece, Turkey
• The Americas: Canada, USA, Brazil, Chile
• Africa, Asia, Middle East: Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, India, Japan, China, S Korea, Thailand

The IAS convened 39 Research Programmes and Events during 2020-22, including:

• 21 Research Seminars presented byIAS Visiting and Residential Fellows;
• 10  IAS Annual Theme events – with a range of keynotes, dialogues, seminars and workshops focused on Time and AI, including an international conference on AI and Smart Mobility (convened by Andrew Morris)
• 5 Spotlight Series Colloquia – Arctic Geopolitics (convened by Duncan Depledge) and Pacifism and Nonviolence (convened by Alex Christoyannopoulos);
• 2 Symposia and Workshops with IAS Visiting Fellows linked to externally-funded projects: Applied Storytelling Summit (convened by Antonia Liguori and Mike Wilson), Terra Foundation International Dada symposium (convened by Kathryn Brown)
• 1^st IAS Festival of Ideas: Transitions – two weeks of public-facing events on the concept of transitions, including book launches, screenings, seminars, workshops and a day symposium celebrating the 10^th anniversary of Fruit Routes

2020-21 was the inaugural year of the Residential Fellowship programme, which launched successfully over two years, providing flexible arrangements and deferrals for Fellows during the pandemic.

Given the unusual circumstances of these years, the IAS developed fully hybrid working methods at International House.  Our online research events were accompanied by in person, invitation-only, seminars and Friends and Fellows Coffee Mornings, to enable international Fellows in residence to enjoy safe and collegial conversations with colleagues from across the University.

Marsha Meskimmon, August 2023