The Middle East Centre holds Oxford
University’s primary collection on the
modern Middle East, a world-class
archive of private papers and historic
photographs used by scholars and
researchers with an interest in the
region. The centre’s research core is
the specialised library, document and
photographic archive covering material
from the 1800’s onwards. The archive was
set up in 1961 and has grown to over 400
collections of private papers and holds
more than 100,000 historic photographs.
The new Investcorp Building for the
Middle East Centre provides 1,127 square
metres of additional floor space and a
new 117-seat lecture theatre; doubling
the space available for the Middle East
CentreWs expanding library & archive,
and providing optimum conditions
to conserve and manage the centre’s
collections that were previously stored in
the basement of 66 Woodstock Road.
As an integral part of the college’s ongoing expansion plans, the Investcorp
Building incorporates essential new
facilities to meet the Middle East Centre’s
increasing demand for research and
academic activities. The need to expand
the teaching space at the centre has
become increasingly acute with student
numbers growing dr amatically in recent
years, including many additional masters’
students and doctoral candidates.