Berkeley Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)

Founded in 1963, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies promotes the interdisciplinary study of the Middle East at the University of California, Berkeley, and beyond, raising public awareness of the region’s diverse peoples and cultures and their connection to wider global contexts.

Mission

The CMES at the University of California, Berkeley promotes the interdisciplinary study of the Middle East on campus and beyond, raising public awareness of the region’s diverse peoples and cultures and their connection to wider global contexts. A Title VI National Resource Center for over three decades, UC Berkeley’s CMES is recognized as one of the country’s most important sources of information about the Arab states, Iran, Israel, Turkey, and the broader Islamic World.

Boasting outstanding faculty across a number of departments, the CMES provides grants and other support for students, faculty, and visiting scholars; hosts lectures, film series, conferences, and innovative workshops; and partners with local educational and non-profit institutions and businesses to provide accessible public programs related to the Middle East.