News

(Portland, Ore.) September 29, 2010 – The Middle East Studies Center at Portland State University (PSU) will expand its global and local reach with $1.6 million in new federal grants reserved for the best programs in the country. The funding comes with a designation as a National Research Center for Middle East Studies, a mark of excellence shared by top-ranked universities such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton.


“The grant confirms on a national level the excellence of our faculty and the significant contributions of the center since its inception over a half a century ago,” said PSU President Wim Wiewel. 

The center plans to use its new $243,658 grant, renewable for four years, from the U.S. Department of Education to add three new faculty positions in Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Geography. In addition, the center will enhance the PSU Library’s Middle East collection; expand K-12 outreach programs to reach more teachers throughout Oregon; and sponsor more cultural events, lectures, and conferences. The center also received $156,000 per year in federal funding for 10 scholarships for students studying Middle East languages and area studies. 


The center’s expansion is part of Wiewel’s push to achieve global excellence through the accomplishments of faculty, reputation of programs and preparation of students for the global economy. Wiewel has taken a personal interest in the Middle East program by traveling to the Gulf region, home to hundreds of PSU alumni. 

“His commitment has helped us reposition ourselves to make a significant contribution to the understanding of a very important part of the world with a tremendous amount of diversity,” said Gil Latz, Vice Provost for International Affairs.

Middle East-related offerings at PSU have grown significantly over the past 10 to 15 years, with increases in language classes, more study abroad programs, and new faculty positions in areas such as Arabic, Turkish, Judaic, and Persian studies.