Indiana University, Bloomington. International Development Institute

Originally called the International Development Research Center when formed in 1962.

The Center changed its name to the International Development Institute when its mission shifted to focus on encouraging communication and information exchange in 1974. IDI worked to coordinate and promote cross-cultural studies, to promote and develop plans for exploiting Indiana University's strength in foreign language training, and to work for effective use of IU's membership in the American Universities Field Staff. IDI closed in 1994 and its duties transferred to the IU Center on Global Change and World Peace.

From the description of Indiana University International Development Institute records, 1961-1994, bulk 1983-1986. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 43398474

The International Development Research Center was founded in November 1962. The Ford Foundation provided a $122,000 grant to support its activities, with a second major grant coming in 1966. John P. Lewis, Chairman of Business Economics and Public Policy was named the first director. Twenty- one senior faculty members were appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve as fellows. Lewis resigned as the Center's director in 1963. He was followed by Fred W. Riggs, who served a two year appointment, George J. Stolnitz, William Siffin, and finally E. Phillip Morgan who oversaw its closing in 1994.

The Center's mission was to support the work of faculty members engaged in development-related research and to encourage others to move into that field. Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, the Center had strong funding and was able to offer financial support to faculty research projects. By 1974, however, funding had become more limited, as the second Ford Foundation grant was depleted. The Center's role changed from direct support of research to one more focused on encouraging communication and information exchange. The Center worked to coordinate and promote cross-cultural studies, to promote and develop plans for exploiting Indiana University's strength in foreign language training, and to work for effective use of IU's membership in AUFS. To reflect the Center's changed mission, it was renamed the International Development Institute in 1974.

By the 1970s, training and consultancy had been added to IDI's functions. The Institute could both provide and arrange for consulting services in the field of international development. It maintained a set of training materials and by 1983 had established a small library containing approximately 3,500 items. In addition to its consultancy and training roles, IDI published materials related to international development and was able to provide some limited support to advanced graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

In 1994, the International Development Institute was closed and its duties transferred to the Indiana University Center for Global Change and World Peace.

From the guide to the Indiana University International Development Institute records, 1961-1994, bulk 1983-1986, (Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives)