EPIIC is a carefully integrated, multidisciplinary program. Through its innovative and rigorous curricula and projects, EPIIC prepares young people for informed activity in their communities, whether locally, nationally or globally.
The Sherman Teichman Education for Public Inquiry (EPIIC) Endowed Colloquium
At EPIIC's core is the year-long, multidisciplinary course on a global political theme. Undergraduate and graduate students of diverse nationalities, viewpoints, experiences, and interests participate in this rigorous colloquium that stresses critical, analytical, and normative thinking. Students are encouraged to confront the ambiguity and complexity of EPIIC's annual global theme through a multi-disciplinary examination of the issues and controversies that the topic reflects. They are taught the subject under investigation not only by a broad range of distinguished academics and practitioners, but also as active participants in defining the issues through classroom discussions, extensive readings, and independent research. There is an emphasis both on individual progress and on the collaborative effort -- in essence, on growing as an intellectual team. Students produce tangible outcomes of their studies through their individual research papers or projects, the international symposium in late February, and the Inquiry simulation for high-school students in early April.
In 2011, on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of EPIIC - Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship, the core program of the Institute for Global Leadership, the alumni of EPIIC endowed the colloquium in honor of their teacher and mentor, the Institute's Founding Director, Sherman Teichman.
Their funds provide for the colloquium's guest lecturers, teaching assistants, seminar mentors, an annual Outward Bound weekend, syllabus materials, subsidies for text books and other EPIIC expenses. The endowment helps ensure the high standard and quality of this preparatory course of the annual EPIIC symposium, and enables all Tufts students to partake fully in its activities.
Symposium
The Norris and Margery Bendetson International EPIIC Symposium is an annual five-day public forum featuring scores of international practitioners, activists, academics, public intellectuals, and journalists. EPIIC's symposia -- consisting of presentations, panel discussions, topical forums, informal gatherings, multimedia and dramatic presentations, and workshops -- are intellectually wide-ranging and accessible. The perspectives of the participants are intentionally diverse, often competing, and at times adversarial.
The 2015-16 EPIIC colloquium will focus on the future of Europe. The 2016 symposium will be the Institute's 31st annual symposium. More information will be available on these pages soon.
“A united Europe is not a modern expedient, be it political or economic, but an ideal which has been accepted since thousands of years by the best spirits of Europe, namely those who can see into the future. Already Homer described Zeus as ‘europos’ – an adjective meaning ‘one who sees very
The schedule for the 2015 EPIIC Symposium will be posted in mid-December.
“A united Europe is not a modern expedient, be it political or economic, but an ideal which has been accepted since thousands of years by the best spirits of Europe, namely those who can see in
Learn More
EPIIC student, Paulina, playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors" with guest scholar, Prof. Orenstein.
Students engaging in one of the many exciting team-building activities this weekend.
One of the groups working in unison to keep the ball centered with the various attached strings.
First group activity of this year's program!
Outward Bound team working with EPIIC students
This year's Outward Bound guest scholar, Professor Mitchell Orenstein
EPIIC students during Prof. Orenstein's lecture
EPIIC students figuring out a puzzle activity
Students carefully focusing on a team-building activity
A student during an Outward Bound group activity
EPIIC students enjoying the weekend at Outward Bound during a group exercise
The view from the camp grounds
EPIIC students setting up a zip line to cross the to the other side.
EPIIC students respond to scenario in program's simulation
EPIIC student zip-lining across the river
Outward Bound team member speaks to EPIIC students