J-Term Seminar: Europe and the Islamic World

France • Spain • Morocco

December 29, 2025 - January 16, 2026

The Europe and the Islamic World Seminar is designed for students interested in an academic and cultural experience in Morocco, Spain, and France. Students participate in a series of briefings from leading academic, literary, and political experts on the European relationship with the Islamic world. In each city, students attend daily lectures and meetings with distinguished scholars from IAU in addition to local guides and experts in the fields of politics, art history, history, and culture. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of immigration to Europe and its current socio-cultural implications on the region.

Please note: IAU reserves the right to cancel programs due to low enrollment. Itineraries are tentative and subject to change at the discretion of IAU. Students should consult with an IAU advisor prior to purchasing their flights.

Academics

Students can choose one of the following courses:

Art History 395: Classical Islam and the European Renaissance
Cross Cultural Studies 395: Jews, Muslims and Christians in Europe and the Islamic World
French 395: Cultural History of France and the Islamic World
History 395: Cultural History of Europe and the Islamic World
Political Science 395: European Politics and the Islamic World
Religious Studies 395: Jews, Muslims and Christians in Europe and the Islamic World
Spanish 395: Cultural History of Spain and the Islamic World

View the 2025 syllabus here. All content and the itinerary is subject to change.

Itinerary

View the 2026 itinerary here. All details are tentative and subject to change. IAU reserves the right to alter the itinerary.

About the Professors

Dr. Carl Jubran, a 1992 alumnus of The Aix Center and previous member of IAU’s Council of Academic Advisors, became IAU’s fifth President in May 2011. He completed his undergraduate education in linguistics, participated in a Master’s program at the Sorbonne, Paris IV through New York University, and later earned his M.A. in Spanish Linguistics and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at the University of California. Dr. Jubran was a professor of Language and Literature at the University of San Diego (USD) and also served as Associate Provost for International Affairs. He has developed courses in French, Spanish, Arabic, world civilizations and global studies and has led and overseen programs in France, Mexico, Morocco, and Spain. Dr. Jubran’s multilingual fluency in French, English, Spanish, Arabic, and Hebrew positions him well to lead students, faculty, and staff in developing multicultural understanding and learning the essential importance of the interconnections among social equity and justice, economic viability, and environmental vitality in building sustainable community in today’s world.

Aboubakr Jamaï has been the Dean of the IAU School of Business and International Relations since 2014. Professor Jamaï's professional career spans the business sectors of finance, economics, and journalism. As a professor, he teaches political science and international journalism at IAU and other American institutions of higher education. Among the many prizes and distinctions he has received, Professor Jamaï was named Harvard University’s Nieman Fellow in 2007 and Mason Fellow in 2008. He was also awarded the 2008 Tully Center Free Speech Prize, Newhouse School of Communication, Syracuse University, and the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists. In 2016 he was honored by the Project on Middle East Democracy. Professor Jamaï has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Higher Institute of Commerce and Management in Casablanca, Morocco, a MBA from Oxford University, and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University. He speaks Arabic, French, and English.

Program Fees

Please view the Program Fees page for details.

Did you know? Students who enroll in a January Term Seminar and the spring semester at one of IAU's campuses consecutively are eligible to receive a $2,000 grant credited to their spring semester invoice. In order to be eligible to receive the grant, students must participate in the Early Start Program during the week between the end of the January Term Seminar and the start of the spring semester. The Early Start Program allows students to move in with their hosts a week before the semester begins, receive language instruction, and participate in local cultural activities! Visit IAU's Scholarship page for additional details.