London, 2007
The International Seminar of Young Tibetologists (ISYT) was founded to create a venue for collaboration and exchange for postgraduate students and early career researchers. This was achieved through convening the first ISYT conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 9–13 August 2007, and by founding the ISYT as a sustainable research association that convenes conferences every two to three years.
The first ISYT conference brought together scholars from all over the world. A generous Research Networks and Workshops Grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council of Great Britain (AHRC) allowed the convenors, Brandon Dotson and Tim Myatt, to sponsor the participation of a dozen scholars from Tibet, China, Nepal and India. These participants, along with being able to employ a translator during the conference, were key elements to the conference's success. The first ISYT conference, with its academic and social exchanges, has created valuable international contacts for all involved and potentially long-lasting relationships between conference participants.
Here is a group photo of the 2007 conference.
ISYT 2007 was made possible thanks to the support of the following institutions:
The Sub-Faculty of South and Inner Asia Studies, and the Sub-Faculty of East Asian Studies at the Oriental Institute, Oxford University
We are delighted to announce that the Proceedings of the first ISYT conference will be published by Serindia Publications.
Paris, 2009
The Second International Seminar of Young Tibetologists has come and gone.
The conference, convened in Paris, between September 7-11 2009, was a tremendous success, thanks largely to the participation of approximately 50 participants from 15 different countries, the convivial atmosphere, the wonderful venues, the high quality of the papers presented, and the wonderful scholarly discussions that ensued.
We would like to thank everyone who participated in making the event one to remember. In particular, we would like to thank the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, and the Université Paris Ouest - Nanterre La Défense for their financial support, and to the Ecole Normale Supérieure, Bibliothèque Sainte-Barbe, and the Musée du quay Branly for graciously providing the incredible venues. Special thanks must also be given to the Trace Foundation, who provided us with a generous grant to welcome five young Tibetan scholars from Lhasa, Chengdu, and Beijing.
The effects of this conference will be felt for a while yet. New friendships and academic collaborations and projects have emerged, and Tibetan Studies in the "City of Lights" has been infused with the energy of the new generation of international scholars. We have no doubt that we have all contributed to keeping Paris' reputation as one of the world's premier centers for academic excellence in Tibetan Studies.
ISYT 2009 was made possible thanks to the support of the following institutions:
musée du quai Branly, École Normale Supérieure Paris, La Bibliothèque Sainte-Barbe est ouverte, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, Milieux, Cultures et Sociétés du Passé et du Présent, Trace Foundation, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Centre d'histoire sociale et culturelle de l'occident (CHISCO).