Centers and Institutes for International Scholarship

An array of UB centers and institutes advance the study of international issues, bringing students and faculty from many disciplines together to examine topics ranging from languages and literatures to global health and cross-border trade. The list of selected UB centers and institutes on this page demonstates the diversity of global problems that UB scholars are addressing.

Canada-Related Research

Photo of an American flag next to a Canadian flag.

As the only member institution of the Association of American Universities on the Canadian border, UB is a national leader in terms of funded research on Canada.

Our position relative to Canada is a critical feature of our institutional identity, and a variety of UB centers and institutes support the study of issues relating to Canada and the binational relationship.

Center for European Studies

The Center for European Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences supports scholarship and intellectual exchange on political, cultural and social transformations of contemporary Europe, as well as on Europe’s multiple historical traditions and close connections to North America.

The center develops partnerships with other universities and encourages collaboration across disciplinary and geographic boundaries. Buffalo’s international spirit and rich history of European immigration make European studies a strategic area of study for UB scholars.

Learn more about UB's Center for European Studies

Institute for European and Mediterranean Archaeology

The Institute for European and Mediterranean Archaeology in the College of Arts and Sciences supports the study, teaching and research of the archaeology of Europe and the Mediterranean world.

The institute’s students and faculty have launched a publication series and undertaken field projects, including the excavation of Çatalhöyük, a world-famous prehistoric site in Turkey, along with a major, multidisciplinary research project that aims to provide information on how prehistoric humans in three circumpolar regions responded to climate change.

Learn more about UB's Institute for European and Mediterranean Archaeology

Institute of Jewish Thought and Heritage

Photo of hands holding a prayer book with Jewish text

The Institute of Jewish Thought and Heritage in the College of Arts and Sciences is a multidisciplinary research and academic center that focuses teaching and scholarship on the critical role the Jewish tradition has played in the development of Western civilization.

Established in 2009, the institute works to increase the understanding of Judaism and aims to become a full-fledged department that will award undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of Jewish studies.

Learn more about UB's Institute of Jewish Thought and Heritage

Confucius Institute

The Confucius Institute at UB promotes the teaching of Chinese language and culture in Western New York, organizing events and programs that include Mandarin classes for the public and business clients, cultural events such as Chinese holiday celebrations and study tours for high school students and K-12 teachers and administrators.

Established in 2010 as part of an international network of more than 300 Confucius Institutes worldwide, the institute is a collaborative effort involving UB’s Asian Studies Program, the Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) and Beijing's Capital Normal University, one of UB’s long-time international partners. Major funding comes from Hanban and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Learn more about UB's Confucius Institute

Center for International Pharmacotherapy Education and Research Initiatives

The Center for International Pharmacotherapy Education and Research Initiatives (IPERI) uses education, research and technology transfer to promote sustainable access to essential drugs in developing countries.

The center provides a mechanism for developing collaborations between two UB units—UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences—and investigators around the world.

IPERI advances innovation in medication adherence, health information technology, pharmacogenomics and related fields. The center also supports developing research capacity and infrastructure through collaborative programs such as a postgraduate training initiative with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS clinical pharmacology.

Learn more about UB's Center for International Pharmacotherapy Education and Research Initiatives

MCEER

Image of many red lines on a sesmiograph readout during an earthquake

MCEER, UB’s Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, develops tools and technologies to equip communities to prepare and respond to disasters, both natural and manmade.

In 2010 and 2011 alone, MCEER experts assessed damage or participated in recovery efforts following major earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and New Zealand.

On the ground in Haiti, the center has partnered with Université Quisqueya to plan and deliver a series of professional development seminars on how to design buildings to withstand earthquakes. More than 500 Haitian architects and engineers have attended, including several dozen from Haiti’s Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communication.

Learn more about UB's Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research

The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy

Photo of a female statue holding the scales of justice

The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy in the UB Law School advances the interdisciplinary study of law, legal institutions and social policy. Faculty members from more than 30 departments take part in Baldy Center activities.

The center’s global activities include funding research on international legal issues and hosting distinguished scholars from around the world as visitors, consultants and conference participants. The center also maintains cooperative ties to other interdisciplinary research centers and co-sponsors a regional network of sociolegal scholars in New York and Canada.

Learn more about UB's Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy

Center for Comparative and Global Studies in Education

The Center for Comparative and Global Studies in Education in the Graduate School of Education coordinates courses, academic programs and scholarly activities for students and faculty interested in international comparative and global studies in education.

The center also maintains a library with comparative education references and provides a home for visiting scholars.

Learn more about UB's Center for Comparative and Global Studies in Education

UB's Global Impact

Giving Dental Care

11/15/12

Even small gifts can mean the world. That’s what more than 300 UB dental students and residents have learned while providing free dental care in communities around the world.
Documenting Vanishing Languages

11/15/12

The indigenous languages of Cameroon’s Lower Fungom region are in danger of vanishing, and Jeff Good, an assistant professor of linguistics, has made it his work to document them before they do.
Engineering a Safer Future

11/15/12

Following a destructive earthquake in Haiti, MCEER, UB’s Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, is partnering with a Haitian university to train engineers and architects to design buildings that can better withstand earthquakes.
Bringing Hope to HIV/AIDS Patients

11/15/12

In a country where nearly one in five adults have HIV/AIDS, Chiedza Maponga, a 1988 UB pharmacy graduate, is working to curb infections and increase availability of treatments.
Gauging a Volcano's Threat

11/15/12

The Colombian city of Pasto, population 400,000, and several small villages sit at the foot of Galeras Volcano. Galeras is a threat, and UB’s Center for GeoHazards Studies is working to improve the community's disaster preparedness.
Improving Daily Life in India

11/15/12

In a region of the world where tsunamis and monsoons threaten millions of lives, the UB/Amrita Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute (UBARI) initiates and supports research on topics including trauma, extreme events and disaster management.
Fighting Diseases that Kill Children

11/15/12

Pavani Ram, an assistant professor of social and preventive medicine, is looking for simple solutions to pressing public health problems: namely, how to prevent the spread of disease from unsanitary conditions.

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UB's Global Milestones

11/15/12

Two Canadians become the first international students to enroll at UB, one year after its founding.
11/15/12

First international faculty member, a Canadian, is appointed.
11/15/12

First enrollment of students from Asia (from Japan and India).
11/15/12

Melodia E. Jones Chair in French is established to bring leading scholars and writers from France to teach French language and literature. Incumbents have included André Maurois, Michel Butor, Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida.
11/15/12

UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences launches 10-year USAID project to assist development of the medical school at the National University of Asunción, Paraguay.
11/15/12

Founding of UB's English Language Institute (ELI), one of the leading institutes of its kind in the world.
11/15/12

UB becomes the first U.S. university following normalization of relations to establish an institutional affiliation with a university in China.
11/15/12

Under contract with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Chinese government, UB conducts the first accredited U.S. MBA program in China at the National Center for Industrial Management Training in Dalian.
11/15/12

Landmark affiliations are established with the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland and Riga Technical University in Latvia; the latter leads to the founding of the Riga Business School, the first U.S. management training school in the Baltics.
11/15/12

Partnership with Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) is established with launch of School of Management’s Executive MBA program at SIM.
11/15/12

UB partners with Konan University on new Economics and Business Administration (EBA) Degree Program, which sends 40 Japanese undergraduates to UB annually for academic study.
11/15/12

UB establishes a dual degree program in civil engineering with Istanbul Technical University as part of a SUNY-wide agreement with Turkish universities.
11/15/12

UB is ranked 10th among U.S institutions enrolling the largest number of international students.
11/15/12

UB hosted a series of events and exhibits related to Tibet during a three-day visit to UB by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.
11/15/12

UB’s Strategic Plan for comprehensive internationalization receives presidential approval.
11/15/12

UB partners with Amrita University in India to establish a master’s program in management of IT services at Amrita’s Bangalore campus.
11/15/12

The opening of the Confucius Institute, based in Asian Studies, supports efforts of Western New York schools to strengthen teaching of Chinese language and culture.
11/15/12

UB’s branch campus at the Singapore Institute of Management grows to five undergraduate programs enrolling 1,400 students.