The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA), along with the City University of New York Graduate Center (CUNY), is pleased to host the MESA Global Academy, an interdisciplinary initiative that sustains essential research collaborations and knowledge production among MENA-focused scholars from the region of the Middle East and North Africa and their counterparts outside the region. 

By awarding competitive scholarships to displaced scholars from the MENA region primarily located in North America to conduct research and attend meetings, workshops, and conferences, the project harnesses the strengths of MESA’s institutional and individual members to support the careers of individual researchers who study the Middle East and North Africa, but whose academic trajectory has been adversely affected by developments in their home countries. 

The MESA Global Academy is led by a committee composed of MESA leadership, past and present, and programming is determined and is sustained through critical support from faculty at partner universities.

Go To MESA Global AcadEmy Website 

The MESA Global Academy is supported by the Carnegie Corporation as well as foundations, university centers, and individual donors, and is sustained through a vast academic network and key relationships with organizations such as the Arab Studies Institute, the Middle East Research and Information Project, the Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund, the New School’s University in Exile, and the Scholars-at-Risk network.

Please email ceren@mesana.org to be kept informed of opportunities through MESA’s Global Academy. 

FAQ

Who is eligible to apply for opportunities and scholarships through the MESA Global Academy?

Displaced scholars from the Middle East and North Africa, primarily those residing in North America. Additionally, the work of MESA Global Academy Scholars must fall within Middle East studies, broadly defined. 

Who funds the MESA Global Academy?

Funding for this project is provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, one of America’s oldest grantmaking foundations, which focuses on issues of international peace and promotes the advancement and diffusion of education, knowledge, and understanding. Additional funding is provided by the Ellis L. Phillips Foundation, the Persian Heritage Foundation, university centers, and individual donors. 

How do I apply?

The deadline for applications for the 2024-2025 academic year has passed. Please check back for the next grant cycle in the spring of 2025.

Documents & Links

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• Global_Academy_Committee_Protocol_
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