The Academic Research Institute in Iraq (TARII)

What The Academic Research Institute in Iraq (TARII) does

The Academic Research Institute in Iraq (TARII) is a private U.S.-based non-profit academic consortium founded in 1988 (originally as TAARII, rebranded in 2018) and headquartered in Washington, D.C., with additional offices in Baghdad and Erbil, Iraq. The institute operates as a consortium of universities and museums whose mission is to promote scholarly research on and in Iraq and ancient Mesopotamia, and to strengthen relationships between American and Iraqi scholars. Its core products are grant and fellowship programs — including US Research Fellowships, Iraqi Fellowships, the biennial Donny George Youkhana Dissertation Prize ($1,500 per award), and a Modern/Medieval Dissertation Prize — funded primarily through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the State Department's Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs (via CAORC), and the Getty Foundation. The institute also operates the Mosul International Research Center (established via a 2025 MoU with the Nineveh Governorate and the University of Chicago's ISAC), the KCAC Archive (a digital Kurdish cultural heritage repository launched in 2024), a Baghdad-based multidisciplinary culture center and library, and a recurring calendar of academic conferences (e.g., MESA receptions, the Qaysariya of Erbil dialogue) and symposia.

The institute is staffed by approximately 5 employees and led by Executive Director Amanda Long and President Dr. Nada Shabout (elected April 2026, succeeding Dr. Peter Wien). It is governed by a Board of Directors and does not offer technology products, APIs, or commercial services; its 'technology' consists of a Squarespace website and a digital archive platform. Revenue mechanics are grant-driven: institutional membership dues, fellowship disbursements from foundation and U.S. government grants, and donations. Distribution is conducted directly to scholars through the website, at academic conferences, and via institutional partnerships — there are no commercial sales channels. The organization's primary customer segments are academic scholars and researchers (U.S. and international), doctoral students writing dissertations on Iraq, a consortium of universities and museums, and Iraqi scholars/students working domestically.

Name

The Academic Research Institute in Iraq (TARII)

Legal name

The Academic Research Institute in Iraq

Website

https://tarii.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TARII is a U.S.-based non-profit academic consortium (founded 1988) of universities and museums that funds fellowships, dissertation prizes, and cultural heritage research on and in Iraq, operating offices in Washington D.C., Baghdad, and Erbil.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research Consortium Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Student Funding & Mobility Grants Administration (EDADAHAL), Mobility Grants & Short-Term Study/Travel Awards (EDAIAOAK)

Keywords

• Academic research consortium
• Scholarly fellowship programs
• Iraqi studies research
• Archaeological heritage preservation
• Cultural heritage archive

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fellowship and Grant Programs: TARII provides fellowships, dissertation prizes, and research grants to scholars studying Iraq. These are funded through institutional partnerships, donations, and grants from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the State Department's Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TARII is a non-profit academic consortium of universities and museums that promotes scholarly research on and in Iraq and ancient Mesopotamia. It provides fellowship funding for US and Iraqi scholars, biennial dissertation prizes ($1,500 each) including the Donny George Youkhana Dissertation Prize for ancient Iraq and the Modern/Medieval Dissertation Prize, physical research infrastructure including the Mosul International Research Center and a Baghdad culture center and library, and a digital archive (KCAC) preserving Kurdish cultural heritage.

Product overview

TARII (The Academic Research Institute in Iraq) is an academic consortium of universities and museums that promotes scholarly research on and in Iraq and ancient Mesopotamia. The organization operates as a unified platform offering multiple interconnected programs: fellowship funding for both US and Iraqi scholars, dissertation prizes recognizing excellence in research on ancient/modern Iraq, a physical research center in Mosul, a digital archive (KCAC) for Kurdish cultural heritage, newsletters for community engagement, and membership programs for institutional and individual participation. TARII maintains offices in Washington D.C., Baghdad, and Erbil, with a multidisciplinary culture center and library in Baghdad.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• US Research Fellowships Fellowship program providing research funding for US scholars conducting research on Iraq, including dissertation research and post-doctoral work. Funded in part by the State Department's Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) through CAORC.
• Iraqi Fellowships Fellowship program supporting Iraqi scholars conducting research within Iraq, providing access to TARII's Baghdad culture center and library and connecting Iraqi researchers with international academic networks.
• Donny George Youkhana Dissertation Prize Bi-annual award ($1,500 per award) recognizing the best doctoral dissertation on ancient Iraq, named after Dr. Donny George Youkhana since 2011. Open to scholars whose work advances understanding of ancient Iraqi history, archaeology, and culture.
• Modern/Medieval Dissertation Prize Bi-annual award ($1,500 per award) recognizing the best doctoral dissertation on modern or medieval Iraq. Open to scholars working on Iraq's history from the medieval period to the modern era.
• Mosul International Research Center A full-scale research center in Mosul providing a physical hub for interdisciplinary work, heritage preservation, and academic partnerships. Established via MoU with the Nineveh Governorate and the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC - University of Chicago), it serves as a landmark facility for international research collaboration in Iraq.
• KCAC Archive (Kurdistan Center of Arts and Culture Archive) Digital repository dedicated to preserving Kurdish cultural heritage, offering access to books, manuscripts, photographs, periodicals, and documents from various Kurdish collections. Launched as a digital archive for Kurdish studies and cultural preservation.
• Membership Program Institutional and individual membership options enabling scholars, students, and organizations to contribute to and engage with TARII's mission. Membership tiers include student, individual, and institutional categories for participation in the consortium.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded dissertation prizes biennially to top U.S. doctoral dissertations on Iraq
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nineveh GovernoratecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Landmark partnership to establish an international research center in Mosul. The MoU was signed on October 29, 2025, with the Governor of Nineveh Abdul Qadir al-Dakhil, marking a decisive moment in Iraqi scholarship, cultural heritage, and global academic collaboration.
• Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) - University of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Three-way partnership for international research center in Mosul. ISAC, as part of University of Chicago, brings expertise in ancient cultures and heritage preservation to this collaborative initiative.
• University of Kurdistan Hewler - Center for Environmental StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2024Co-hosted the conference 'The Qaysariya of Erbil: A Living Heritage' bringing together experts, government officials, and community members to discuss heritage preservation.
• Smithsonian Institution - Museum Conservation InstitutecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 5 September 2019Coordinated conference on cuneiform tablet origins, trafficking, and best practices. Dr. Katharyn Hanson organized the invite-only event bringing together international and Iraqi specialists, cultural heritage practitioners, and US law enforcement.
• Boston University's Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and CivilizationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2019Co-sponsored a symposium on 'Building Sustainable Peace in Iraq: The Role of Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Peace Building' on April 12, 2019.
• Smithsonian InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2018Coordinated with TARII for the Advisory Council meeting of IICAH. Dr. Katharyn Hanson served as TARII Institutional Board Representative for Smithsonian and organized the cuneiform tablets conference.
• Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage (IICAH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2018TARII brought together the Advisory Council for IICAH in Erbil. The institute uses the old Erbil public library building and provides instruction in ancient construction techniques through workshops.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE): US-based consortium supporting scholarly research on Egypt. It shares TARII's model of fellowships, institutional membership, and US government funding, and is a fellow CAORC member center.
• German Archaeological Institute (DAI): Major European institution with extensive ongoing excavations and research programs in Iraq. Competes for high-profile Iraq fieldwork projects, archaeological talent, and heritage-preservation funding that TARII also pursues.
• British Institute for the Study of Iraq (BISI): UK-based academic institute promoting research on Iraq and the ancient Near East, with fellowships, grants, and a library. It is the closest functional analog to TARII in a different country and directly competes for Iraq-focused scholars and funding.
• Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC), University of Chicago: University of Chicago research institute formerly known as the Oriental Institute. It is TARII's partner on the Mosul International Research Center and a leading peer in ancient Mesopotamian scholarship and publications.
• American Institute of Iranian Studies (AIIrS): US-based academic consortium promoting research on Iran. Direct structural peer—fellowship administration, overseas research access, and government grant funding—within the same CAORC network as TARII.
• American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR): US overseas research center in Jordan supporting Near Eastern scholarship through fellowships and field projects. Highly comparable operating model, funding sources, and geographic research focus to TARII.
• American Institute for Yemeni Studies (AIYS): US-based academic consortium supporting research on Yemen. Mirrors TARII's structure (US 501(c)(3) + overseas office, fellowships, institutional membership, CAORC affiliation) for a different Arab country.

Broad incumbents

• Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC): Umbrella organization of which TARII is a member. CAORC channels State Department/ECA multi-country fellowship funding to member centers, making it both a funder and a strategic platform for TARII.
• Smithsonian Institution – Museum Conservation Institute: TARII's partner on cuneiform tablet and heritage preservation programs. As a much larger US institution, it both collaborates with and dwarfs TARII in cultural-heritage programming and grant capture.

Regional players

• Italian Archaeological Mission to Iraq: Italian-led long-term excavation and research mission in Iraq (notably at Nineveh and other Assyrian sites). Competes for the same Iraqi archaeological talent pool and heritage-preservation grants as TARII.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tarii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Academic Research Institute in Iraq (TARII)