
European Centre for Palestinian Studies
المركز الأوروبي للدراسات الفلسطينية
Founded in 2009 by Professor Ilan Pappé and Dr Ghada Karmi, the European Centre for Palestinian Studies (ECPS) is based within the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (IAIS) at the University of Exeter (Russel Group). ECPS is committed to producing interdisciplinary research on the history of Palestine and the Palestine-Israel issue, grounded in academic rigour, decolonial methodologies, and scholar-activism.
من نحن
تأسّس المركز الأوروبي للدراسات الفلسطينية عام 2009 على يدي البروفيسور إيلان بابِيه والدكتورة غادة الكرمي ضمن معهد الدراسات العربية والإسلامية في جامعة إكستر. ويُعنى المركز بدراسة تاريخ فلسطين وقضيتها في إطار علمي رصين مستندًا إلى مناهج أكاديمية نقدية تراعي تفكيك البُنى الاستعمارية وتزاوج بين المعرفة الأكاديمية والنشاط المجتمعي.
In this section
Leadership & Vision
The Centre is currently co-directed by Professor Ilan Pappé and Dr Nadia Naser-Najjab are both deeply committed to the decolonisation of education. Their leadership fosters inclusive and collaborative research practices that centre Palestinian voices and experiences. ECPS actively builds partnerships with students and scholars in Palestine, facilitating knowledge exchange and strengthening research through solidarity.
Our directors encourage students to:
- Organise events and lead workshops
- Collaborate with international researchers
- Engage with Palestinian academics and activists
- Participate in Arabic-language talks and outreach
These activities ensure that ECPS remains a vibrant space for dialogue, learning, and action.
Centre Directors
Members
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Professor Mick Dumper | Professor in Middle East Politics |
| Dr Uri Davis | Honorary Research Fellow |
| Dr. Jeff Halper | |
| Dr. Sahar Huneidi | |
| Dr Ghassan Khatib | Honorary Research Fellow |
| Honorary Research Fellow | |
| Mr Leslie McLoughlin | Honorary Research Fellow |
| Professor Tim Niblock | Professor Emeritus |
| Professor Gareth Stansfield | Al-Qasimi Professor of Gulf Studies |
Academic Excellence & Resources
ECPS draws on the expertise of scholars from IAIS and across Exeter’s departments of Politics, History, and Economics. The University of Exeter also houses the Arab World Documentation Unit (AWDU), a unique and digitised collection of primary and secondary sources on Middle East affairs. Within AWDU, the Palestinian Archive includes rare materials documenting:
- British campaigning for Palestine
- Arab political and military activity in Palestine and the Levant
These resources are used by researchers worldwide and form a cornerstone of ECPS’s scholarly work.
Global Impact
Over the years, ECPS has become a leading centre for Palestine Studies in Europe. We regularly convene high-profile events and conversations that bring together global specialists. Our expertise informs:
- Government briefings
- Media analysis
- University curricula
- Civil society initiatives
We are proud to contribute to public understanding and policy through research that is both historically grounded and urgently relevant.
Research & Future Directions
ECPS is a hub for postgraduate research focused on the history of Palestine/Israel and the search for just solutions. We are developing new research orientations and events that respond to current realities and envision future possibilities. Our work aims to offer alternative pathways toward:
- Peaceful co-existence
- Collective well-being
- Freedom and dignity
Advisory board
Our partners beyond academia
- Academic Action Network for Palestine (ActforPal)
- Palestine Forum
- The One Democratic State Campaign (ODSC)
Funding
We have succeeded in establishing the Shireen Abu Aqleh MA Scholarship in Palestine Studies for four years.
However, our aim is to establish a permanent scholarship fund. The aim is to allow the brightest students from around the world to study at ECPS.
Our mission is to train a new generation of researchers into the subject. If taking a postgraduate degree is expensive for most students, it is prohibitive for students from the Occupied Territories. Therefore, lying at the heart of our funding campaign is the establishment of full scholarships for students from Gaza and the West Bank to study at either master’s or Ph.D. level at the ECPS in Exeter.
We also wish to help post graduate students from the Palestinian diaspora so as to reach all who are interested in the history of Palestine, wherever they are. We believe that offering such educational opportunities to the most dedicated Palestinian students from the various Palestinian communities will be a major contribution not only to the education of the generations to come but to the leadership of a future Palestine. We are also working to establish at least one post-doctoral fellowship to attract the very best of the rising generation of scholars in the field to contribute to the work of the Centre.
Latest news and events
Events
We host a number of research seminars, workshops, and assorted events. You can find a list of upcoming and past events in the drop-down menus below.
Upcoming events
There are no current events to display, but please come back soon for updates.








