Photograph Yale, Harold Shapiro
Photograph (and above) James Perrin
The importance of understanding faith In a world where religiosity is increasing, and the pace of globalisation becomes ever faster, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation (TBFF) has set up the Faith & Globalisation Initiative – a university programme comprising a small number of leading research universities around the world, plus many more Associates.
century: the way in which religion and globalisation impact on each other.
Lead University Programme Our current partners include: Yale University, McGill University, Tecnológico de Monterrey, the University of Western Australia, the National University of Singapore, Peking University, Fourah Bay College – University of Sierra Leone, Hong Kong University, National University ‘Kyiv-Mohyla Academy’, and leading universities in Kosovo and the Philippines.
Wherever you look today, religion matters. Understanding faith, its trends, its structures, can be as important as understanding a nation’s GDP, its business, its resources. To know about a country’s faith perspective is an essential part of comprehending it and the impact of globalisation. Tony Blair, Founder and Patron Tony Blair Faith Foundation, Tecnologico de Monterrey, February 2011
The course is multi-disciplinary so as to reach as wide a range of students as possible. Disciplines include: international relations, anthropology, law, music, classics, theology, economics and business studies. The course is open to undergraduate through to doctoral level students and those undertaking research programmes. The results and analysis from these studies are then disseminated or published to help inform public policy debate on some of the critical issues facing the world today. The Faith and Globalisation Initiative course objectives • Inspire and open the minds of students all over the world as to the role and relevance of religion in the modern world. • Introduce multi-disciplinary faith and globalisation courses in higher education institutions and specialist training institutions around the world. • Ensure that emerging and current leaders understand the major trends in faith and globalisation – providing access to facts and better understanding of the threats and opportunities. • Help develop and inform public policy debate and practice on religion’s role in shaping the world for the better.
Associate University Programme In keeping with the commitment of the Faith and Globalisation Initiative to encourage future leaders to develop a critical analysis of the relationship between faith and globalisation, we have created a broader network of universities called our Associates. Associate Universities are currently teaching, or aspire to teach, analytical and descriptive classes concerning religion’s impact on the modern world. These might range from undergraduate survey classes to specific graduate-level classes. Why become an Associate University? • TBFF will provide access for each Associate University to the course development undertaken at the Lead Universities. • TBFF will also provide access to and facilitate the network of Associate Universities. We ensure that participating professors from around the world can connect with each other as they teach and produce research on the role of religion in today’s world. • TBFF will make its team available for consultation on course or programme development. • As a part of the Associate University Network, each university is provided a public face on our website. How to become an Associate University We welcome all interested academic centres. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation requires that the university identify a faculty member ready to develop and teach the class or graduate programme. A commitment on their behalf to design a multi-disciplinary class that treats the world’s faith traditions with respect and dignity is also a requirement.
For more information, please contact the Tony Blair Faith Foundation at: fgi@tonyblairfaithfoundation.org Find us on Twitter @Tonyblair_TBFF Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ tonyblairfaithfoundation
Philippines Consortium
Tony Blair Faith Foundation. A company limited by guarantee and registered in England number 06198959. Registered charity number 1123243. Registered
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