News

I’m the Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs. This means I’m chiefly responsible for working with faculty and staff to design curriculum, decide which courses to offer, and support students through the program. I’m also responsible for licensing and accreditation, making […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies, through the Offices of the President and Dean, has issued the following statement on our current human-created climate crisis. Four years ago, the Global Buddhist Climate Change Collective issued a statement to world leaders prior […]

I sat down with IBS alumnus Jamie Kimmel to discuss practice, chaplaincy, and how Buddhism can inform pastoral care. Tell us about yourself. How did you come to Buddhist chaplaincy? Like many others, it was a series of events in […]

On July 20, hundreds of people from across the country, including over twenty Buddhist priest from various traditions, joined together to protest at the Fort Sill army base, in Oklahoma. The U.S army imprisoned Native Americans at Fort Sill in […]

IBS would like to introduce our new Chaplaincy Program Coordinator, Gesshin Greenwood. Gesshin is a San Francisco native, Soto Zen priest, and therapist in training. She ordained in Japan with Seido Suzuki Roshi, and trained at Toshoji Monastery and Aichi […]

On Friday, May 24, 2019, the faculty, trustees, students and friends of the Institute of Buddhist Studies gathered in the Kodo of the Jodo Shinshu Center to honor the accomplishments of its students who completed degrees and certificate programs. Additionally […]

The Science and Technology of Buddhism Call for Papers Deadline for submissions: June 15, 2019  Deadline extended! July 15, 2019 Symposium: October 17, 2019 The 2019 Graduate Student Symposium at the Institute of Buddhist Studies, funded in part by the […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to announce a new educational program — a Certificate in Buddhist Studies. This low-residency graduate program may be completed on-site in Berkeley or fully online. The program is intended to introduce students both […]

A new anthology of Pure Land texts and commentaries, edited by Georgios T. Halkias and Richard K. Payne, has been published by the Univeristy of Hawai’i Press. This diverse anthology of original Buddhist texts in translation provides a historical and […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies has recently launched a re-designed website! The new design better reflects who we are as a community of Buddhist education and research, and better serves resources for current and potential students. Some new features of […]

Joanne Laurence, a 2016 graduate of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) and Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) Master of Arts program in Buddhist Chaplaincy, was awarded the highest professional certification, Board Certified Chaplain [BCC], from the Association of Professional Chaplains. […]

Institute of Buddhist Studies Hosts Religion Scholars and Journalists from Across the US to Address Technology’s Impacts on Human Relationships From October 2-4, the Institute of Buddhist Studies held its first annual meeting for grantees of Public Theologies of Technology […]

At its November 2018 meeting, the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Buddhist Studies updated its mission statement to: To provide graduate level education in the full breadth of the Buddhist tradition with specialized education supporting Pure Land and […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies conducted its 6thAnnual Memorial Service on October 1, 2018 at 7 p.m. at the Jodo Shinshu Center Kodo, Berkeley, CA to honor 130 past supporters who were founders, donors, leaders, teachers, students, staff, and friends, […]

The American Academy of Religion, North America’s largest professional organization dedicated to the academic study of religion, will hold its annual meeting this November in Denver, Colorado, from November 17-20. This annual event provides ample opportunities for Buddhist Studies scholars […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies hosted its fifth annual Graduate Student Symposium on October 5, 2018, at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley. Five graduate students presented papers dealing with the theme, Buddhist Political Engagements. Dr. Scott Mitchell, Dean of […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to announce the grant recipients for its Public Theologies of Technology and Presence research and journalism initiative. Sixteen scholars of religion, theologians, and journalists will receive grant support for their research and publication […]

Dr. Jack Masakazu Fujimoto, the fourth IBS Trustee Chair from 1982 to 1993, was presented the IBS President’s Award by Rev. Dr. David Matsumoto, IBS President, at commencement ceremonies held on Friday May 18, 2018, at the Jodo Shinshu Center, […]

With the support of BDK America Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies continues to make changes designed to improve its policies in service to the profession. For the 2019 issue we have established two new bodies for […]

Graduate Student Symposium: Buddhist Political Engagements and Imaginaries October 5, 2018, Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley, CA The theme of the 2018 Graduate Student Symposium is Buddhist political engagements and imaginaries. How has Buddhist thought, cosmology, or ethics been used […]