The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Departments of Comparative Religion and Asian Studies announced a new position in Tibetan Buddhist Studies in 2021.
Academia
We believe that formal education is one of the most important avenues for the pursuit, exploration, and delivery of Buddha’s wisdom. Therefore Khyentse Foundation is dedicated to the development and enrichment of Buddhist Studies programs at universities and institutions around the world. In the interest of preserving the traditional system of rigorous Buddhist scholarship, we seek out and support programs that emphasize the critical thinking and analytical skills that are essential to Buddhist academic methodology.
In an era when the study of humanities is threatened, our academic initiative provides endowments and extensive funding for faculty positions, Buddhist Studies centers, and Buddhist lecture series. We also offer support for graduate students and awards for outstanding scholarship.
I feel that with this one contribution we’ve started the equivalent of one hundred monasteries.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche on establishing the Khyentse Chair of Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Berkeley
ENDOWED CHAIRS and LONG-TERM FACULTY POSITIONS
International Buddhist College
Established the Palyul-Khyentse Chair in Buddhist Textual Studies with matching support from Yayasan Pema Norbu Vihara in 2023.
Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich
Together with the Tara Foundation, secured a tenured professorship in Tibetan and Buddhist Studies in 2020.
University of California, Berkeley
Established the Khyentse Foundation Distinguished Professorship in Tibetan Buddhism in 2006.
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Established the Khyentse Gendun Chopel Professorship of Tibetan Buddhist Studies in 2018.
The University of Sydney
Partnered to create the Khyentse Foundation and University Buddhist Education Foundation Lectureship in Tibetan Buddhism, establishing a new academic position in Tibetan Buddhist Studies in 2017.
BUDDHIST STUDY CENTERS
Eötvös Loránd University
Supported the establishment of the Budapest Center of Buddhist Studies as a research and organizing center of Buddhology in 2013.
University of Hamburg
Established the Khyentse Center for Tibetan Buddhist Textual Scholarship in 2011.
University of Edinburgh
Supported the Edinburgh Buddhist Studies program since 2020.
Strategic Approach
When Buddhist ideology began to migrate from East to West in the 1900s, much of it arrived informally and haphazardly, often not accurately reflecting the sophistication, complexity, rigor, and richness of the curricula at centers of learning in the East. The foundation’s academic initiative focuses on finding and clearing bottlenecks in Buddhist Studies programs at universities and institutions worldwide and helping to fill in the gaps of programs that are in development. Once these opportunities are identified, we partner with institutions to strengthen Buddhist Studies programs by providing funding in areas such as long-term faculty positions, endowed chairs, visiting professorships, language programs, and student support services.
Source Languages
Because many Buddhist Studies programs require in-depth study of Buddhist texts in their original language, institutions need to offer courses in languages such as Sanskrit, Pali, and classical Tibetan and Chinese. Teachers for these classes are difficult to find, and universities feel that they are hard to justify financially. We work with those institutions to ensure that scholars receive the instruction and support they need.
Graduate Support, Awards, and Prizes
Valuing all levels of formal Buddhist study, we offer a number of scholarships, grants, awards, and prizes as incentive and thanks for the work our recipients are doing or hope to do. From Buddhist Studies Scholarships, to prizes and awards for completed work, to the Khyentse Fellowship, we hope that our financial support provides the motivation for continued exploration and dedication to the preservation and promotion of Buddha’s wisdom.
On and Off Campus
Whether or not they are formally enrolled in Buddhist Studies programs, we look for ways to bring like-minded students together through Buddhist activities on campus. For those who are not on campus but are interested in Buddhist academia, we offer the Goodman Lectures, an online monthly lecture series delivered by leading scholars in the field of Buddhist Studies from our partner institutions in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Related Grants & Scholarships
Academic Development Grants
Grants awarded to universities and academic institutions to ensure that authentic Buddhist studies are conducted at the highest level of academic excellence.
Amount Awarded The amount of the grants varies depending on the project.Application Dates - March 15, 2025 — June 15, 2025
- September 15, 2025 — December 15, 2025
Application window now open until June 15, 2025Buddhist Studies Scholarships
Scholarships for individuals who wish to study the dharma in a formal setting, such as a university or institute.
Amount Awarded Buddhist Studies Scholarship awards are usually in the $500 to $5,000 USD range. Awards may be more depending on the proposal.Application Dates - December 15, 2024 — January 15, 2025
- June 15, 2025 — July 15, 2025
Application Window Opens December 15, 2024PhD Scholarships
Scholarships to support people who are in a PhD program in Buddhist or Translation Studies, doing research for their PhD degree, or writing a doctoral dissertation.
Amount Awarded The maximum award for PhD Scholarships is $5,000 USD.Application Dates - June 15, 2025 — July 15, 2025
Application Window Opens June 15, 2025
