Tajik, Dari or Persian? Evolution of Iranian languages and Cultures: A Cross Cultural Approach
Dates: 3-24 September 2025
Course Fee: 700 USD
Deadline: 15 June 2025
Language: English and Tajik
Level: Undergraduate and Postgraduate
The Tajik, Dari or Persian? Evolution of Iranian Languages and Cultures: A Cross-Cultural Approach summer school is an exciting opportunity for both international and local students to deepen their understanding of Persian languages and cultures. This immersive program, set against the backdrop of modern Tajikistan, will focus on Persian’s evolution across various regional contexts and its profound cultural and historical impact.
Why Attend?
Persian—referred to as Tajik in Tajikistan, Dari in Afghanistan, and Farsi in Iran—has a rich legacy as one of the foremost languages of art, literature, science, and politics throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Persian literature, including works like Saadi's Gulistan and Hafiz's Divan, has influenced European intellectual thought, with Goethe famously declaring Hafiz's legacy as timeless and eternal: "O Hafiz, your word is as great as eternity for it has no beginning and no end. Your word, as the canopy of Heaven, solely depends on itself. It is all signs, beauty and excellence".
Course Highlights:
- Multidisciplinary Approach: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the plurality of Persian cultural heritage and its significant impact across Central Asia and beyond.
- Critical Research Engagement: Through the study of local forms of knowledge production and the creation, consumption, and conservation of cultural heritage, students will explore questions such as:
- How is Persian cultural heritage understood in Tajikistan?
- What is the relationship between Tajik, Dari, Farsi, and other Iranian languages like Yaghnobi and Pamiri?
- How does the Persian poetic legacy influence contemporary heritage politics in Tajikistan?
- Language Learning: Intensive Tajik and Pamiri language lessons will be provided. Beginners will focus on conversational Tajik, while advanced students can refine their skills through interactive tandem learning with local students.
- Collaborative Research: Students will work in groups, conducting mini-research projects on aspects of cultural heritage in Central Asia. This hands-on approach will encourage critical thinking, fieldwork, and discussions with local experts.
- Cross Debate Format (CDF): Participate in a unique dialectic tool used in Central Asia to foster discussion and the exchange of diverse perspectives on heritage-related topics.
Key Learning Experiences:
- Interactive Language Lessons: Two weeks of immersive language lessons and cultural exercises in Dushanbe.
- Cultural Workshops and Lectures: Engage with researchers from the University of Central Asia and other institutions, and participate in workshops, discussions, and excursions.
- Final Research Project: Present your mini-research findings in a multi-media format and contribute to the digital archive for future dialogical research.
Who Should Apply?
This summer school is ideal for undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in Persian languages, Central Asian cultures, and heritage studies. It is open to students from a variety of disciplines including anthropology, history, linguistics, and area studies.
Apply Today!
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore Persian heritage from a local and global perspective. To apply, click on the Apply button below to fill in the online application form and attach your CV and Motivation letter. The application deadline is 15 June 2025.
For more information, please contact: akhp.summerschool@ucentralasia.org.
We look forward to welcoming you to this unique academic experience in Tajikistan!
FAQ
The participant number is limited to 20 students.
The summer school is designed for current students and recent graduates, both local and international. While the summer school actively encourages applications from a wide variety of academic disciplines, applicants who have previous knowledge of Central Asia and/or the topics relating to the summer school (cultural heritage, Persian cultural and linguistic heritage, material culture, identity) will be favoured.
Please fill out the online application form here.
At the end of the online application form, you will be asked to submit your CV and a letter of motivation stating your reasons for applying to the summer school and what makes you an ideal candidate.
Applications can be submitted online until 15 June 2025.
The selection will be made by a selection committee consisting of scholars and teaching staff. Participants will be ranked according to the reasons and goals outlined in their motivation letter. Strong candidates will ideally have prior knowledge of Central Asia and display a keen interest in at least one of the topics relating to the summer school (cultural heritage, Persian cultural and linguistic heritage, material culture, identity)
You should receive an answer from us within one month after the application deadline.
Fees and Payments
The course fee is set at 700 USD per person.
The course fee covers teaching materials, lessons, cultural programme, certification, light refreshments during coffee breaks, and field trips to museums, cultural heritage sites in Dushanbe.
Accommodation is to be paid separately directly to the host upon arrival and is not included in the course fee.
Lunch and dinner are not included.
The course fee is to be paid by bank transfer before the start of the summer school. Exact details will be sent along with the selection confirmation before the beginning of the course. Please note that your booking can only be confirmed once we receive the fee payment.
Once payment of the course fee is received, participation in the summer school is confirmed and a refund is not possible.
Programme
Participants who participate in all 3 weeks of the summer school will be awarded 10 ECTS credits.
Students will receive a signed and stamped certificate upon successful completion of the summer school.
Please consult your course coordinator or study advisor at your home institution for exact details.
Teaching takes place Monday to Friday in three blocks: 09.00-10.30, 11.00-12.30, and 1.30-15.00.
No, the evening programme (events after 15.00) is not compulsory but very much encouraged as this will expand on elements of in-class teaching.
If you are an international student, you are still required to participate in the Tajik language classes. Local students have the option to skip the language course for a reduced course fee.
Yes, there will be a Tajik language exam at the end of the language crash course.
Travel and Accommodation
Please check with your local Tajikistani embassy for more details. Passport holders from many countries enjoy visa-free travel to Tajikistan for up to 30 days, and others have the option of applying for an eVisa for touristic purposes.
No, the UCA does not provide visa invitation letters for the summer school participants.
Every international student should take responsibility for their registration and have to register with the Migration Police (OVIR) upon arrival to Tajikistan. Registration is done through the accommodation owners.
Turkish Airlines, flydubai, and several Russian airlines operate flights to Dushanbe International Airport, located in the south-east of the city.
No, participants will need to take a taxi from the airport. A taxi should cost around 20-30 TJS depending on the area.
Accommodation is not provided by the Summer school. However, the Summer school can guide searching for accommodation if needed. The price of the accommodation is separate from the course fee and should be paid directly to the accommodation owners.
For more information, please contact: akhp.summerschool@ucentralasia.org.