Ghent Centre for Buddhist Studies

Info

This group provides information on research and activities of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at Ghent University.

Geschiedenis

The Ghent Centre for Buddhist Studies (GCBS) was founded in 2007 at Ghent University, within the Department of Languages and Cultures as the first academic centre for Buddhist studies in Belgium. The buddhological research in Ghent is rooted in a long tradition of expertise that began in the early 20th century with the works of Prof. Dr. Louis de La Vallée Poussin (1869-1938). Since then an increasing number of researchers have focused on a broad range of Buddhological fields.

Given the fact that Buddhism took shape throughout its spread from India via China to Tibet and Japan, the GCBS aims to enable scholars and students to research and study philosophical, doctrinal and socio-cultural aspects of especially the Asian Buddhist traditions .

The members of the GCBS are working interdisciplinary as well as on highly specialized fields. Therefore a major task of the GCBS is to offer a forum for international discussions and to organize lecture series and symposia where research methodologies and findings can be presented and exchanged. Initiatives such as the 'Permanent Education in Buddhism', which is open to everyone holding an M.A., have the intention of opening the academic discourse to society and informing the public about current ongoings in the field of buddhological research.

The GCBS puts a strong emphasis on cooperation with other institutions. Bilateral agreements and Socrates programs have been established with many institutions abroad.