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Who we are

The Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut (IAI, Ibero-American Institute) is a non-university research institute for the humanities, cultural studies and social sciences with a multidisciplinary focus. As an area studies institution, it has a regional focus – Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal – and also takes transregional interconnections into account. It thus has a genuinely international orientation. The equal integration of different areas of work under one roof – collections, research and events – is what gives the institute its unique profile. 

 

Service Links: Contacts, Opening hours and how to reach us

Impressions from the IAI

What do others say about us?

Portrait photo of Powerpaoloa painting on a wall

At the Ibero-American Institute I found things that I didn't even thought could exist in a library, it was a delight to spend entire afternoons finding unique gems from Latin America here.

Powerpaola (Paola Gaviria), Comic autor and illustrator, Argentina Legal information about the decorative image: © Pablo Salgado
Portrait photo of Bert Hoffmann

It is impossible to imagine German research on Latin America without the IAI. And with its magnificent location in the heart of Berlin, it is also the central place for communicating this knowledge to a broad public!

Bert Hoffmann, German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), Hamburg
Portrait photo of Anita Traninger

The IAI has proven to be an ideal non-university partner institution for research collaboration in the humanities. Its outstanding collections and, even more so, the scientific expertise it represents are unique.

Anita Traninger, Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Romanische Philologie, EXC Temporal Communities
Jörg Dünne in front of a bookshelf

The IAI has played a major role in making Berlin a popular meeting place for Latin Americanists from all over the world for almost a century - the library and the institute's research activities are now more indispensable than ever for the internationality of Berlin's research landscape.

Jörg Dünne, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Romanistik Legal information about the decorative image: privat

The IAI in Numbers 2024

More information

  • The IAI in the SPK Network

    The IAI brings specific expertise, knowledge and experience in the Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the Caribbean to the foundation network.

    Exterior view of the main building of the SPK
  • Our History

    Since its beginnings, the IAI has developed into an established institution of the diverse dialog between Germany and Ibero-America.

    Historical photograph of readers at tables in the reading room
  • Our Governance

    The IAI uniquely integrates various areas of work: Library, Research and Events.