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The Ibero-American Institute (IAI): Collections, Research, and Global Scholarly Exchange

The Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut Editorial Team

The Ibero-American Institute (IAI), Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (SPK), is a multidisciplinary research institute bringing together collections, research and events. With a focus on Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal, the IAI fosters international academic exchange. In February 2026, it will host the Mecila Institutional Workshop.

The Ibero‑American Institute (IAI), Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (SPK), is a multidisciplinary non‑university research institute for the humanities, cultural studies and social sciences. As an area studies institution, it has a regional focus on Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal, while also taking into account transregional interconnections. The institute’s unique profile is defined by its genuinely international orientation and the equal integration of different areas of work under one roof: collections, research and events.

At the heart of the IAI are its Library and Special Collections, which form Europe’s largest specialised research archive on Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal, encompassing well over two million items, including analog and digital books and journals, audiovisual media, maps, photographs, and other sources. These collections are distinguished by their cultural diversity, geographical breadth, and historical depth, and they serve as a shared global cultural heritage. The IAI continuously develops and expands these resources, making them accessible to scholars worldwide and supporting research that connects local, regional, and transregional perspectives.

The Library and Special Collections of the Ibero-American Institute (IAI) provide the basis for the institute’s research activities and international collaborations. Complemented by partnerships with universities and cultural institutions, the IAI hosts visiting researchers and produces a multilingual publication program. The combination of collections, research, and publications creates a space for the production and transfer of knowledge, as well as for the mediation of cultural perspectives across regions and disciplines.

Cultural and scientific events are central to the IAI’s mission, too. The institute’s event programme is interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and multilingual, and is carried out with a wide range of partners. Conferences, lectures, exhibitions and other formats provide spaces for dialogue between scholars, cultural actors and the broader public and connect research with societal themes. These events contribute to public understanding of complex issues, from knowledge transfer and cultural heritage to contemporary global challenges, through an Ibero‑American lens.

Founded in 1930, the IAI has evolved into an established institution for dialogue between Germany and the Ibero‑American world. Since 1962, it has been part of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (SPK, Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation), one of the largest cultural and scientific institutions worldwide. Within the SPK network, the IAI brings specific expertise and knowledge on Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal.

In February 2026 (18–20), the IAI will host the Mecila Institutional Workshop, a central event of the Mecila Research Network and its information infrastructure. The workshop will bring together researchers, librarians, and technical coordinators from leading institutions in Latin America and Europe to discuss the current state and future development of collaborative knowledge infrastructures supporting interdisciplinary research.