Institute for Village Studies

The Institute for Village Studies (IVS) is a nonprofit organization that collaborates with village communities to achieve their vision for a better future. We accomplish this through cross-cultural educational experiences, community-driven development, and research.

Founded in 1999, IVS emerged as a way to connect students in the United States with village communities around the world. We seek to provide students with an understanding of the deep value of indigenous knowledge, historical and ecological context of village life, and regional and global connections.

As we are invited to participate in village life, we form close relationships based on respect and reciprocity. Over time, we explore how we can be a resource in supporting their visions for a better future. Our mission has grown organically to include more robust support for community-driven development and research, while maintaining our core goal of leading transformative study abroad and life-long learning programs to village communities around the world.

For more information, visit www.villagestudies.org