Faiths & Globalisation Initiative

Launched in 2008, the Faith and Globalisation Initiative (FGI) is a worldwide network of leading research universities which seek to understand attitudes towards religious faith in a globalised world through research. The Initiative also offers engaging events open to the public that explore the implications and effects of the universities research to inform public policy debate.

Religion in the modern world

As the 21st century world becomes ever more interdependent under the momentum of globalisation, traditional boundaries of culture, identity and even nationhood are rapidly changing.

Important and increasingly urgent debates rage across the world about the role of religion in public life. No leader – political or economic, current or emerging – can now afford to be ignorant about how religion motivates people. And in a globalised world, we need to comprehend how different religions can play out in different societies and geographies, not just our own.

Understanding the impact of religious faith

We want current and future leaders to understand the role and impact of religion in a globalised world. We believe that universities and the research they produce are central to helping us achieve this.

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation’s Faith and Globalisation Initiative is a global network of leading research universities that provide the information and analysis needed to understand the impact of religion on the world. The programme includes a multi-disciplinary, cross-departmental course including joint teaching between institutions that incorporates video-conferencing and an online community, public lectures, research, campus activities, policy events and a dynamic interactive website.

Our network

FGI is a global network of leading universities seeking to expand their research and teaching in the field of religion and globalisation. Lead members of this network are:

• Yale University (USA)
• National University of Singapore (Singapore)
• McGill University (Canada),
• Durham University (United Kingdom)
• Tecnológico de Monterrey University (Mexico),
• University of Western Australia (Australia)
• Peking University (PR China)
• University of Sierra Leone - Fourah Bay College (Sierra Leone) 

These higher learning institutions will actively promote research on faith and globalisation, and host conferences and events which will spread this research to the wider public. A network of associate universities associate universities will support the lead universities in this work.

What’s the aim?

• A generation of graduates who are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to appreciate the role of religion in the world – and who can use these insights in their future careers, whatever their profession, to help build an informed and peaceful world.
• Important and often-unique research into key questions about faith in the modern world.
• Dissemination of the findings of the network to help inform public policy debate so that business, political and faith communities understand the major trends in faith and globalisation.