Universities across four continents launch new chairs, PhD positions, research centers, and landmark publications
By Sulekh C Jain
New York: The year 2025 has become a defining milestone in the global expansion of Jain Studies, with unprecedented academic growth across the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, India, and beyond. Leading universities established new endowed chairs, professorships, doctoral and postdoctoral positions, conferences, and research initiatives—cementing Jain Studies as a respected and rapidly growing academic field worldwide.
“This year represents a historic turning point,” said a senior supporter of Jain Studies. “What was once a marginal and largely unknown area of study has now become a globally recognized academic movement grounded in scholarship, ethics, and universal human values.”
Major Global Developments
In 2025 alone, universities in the USA, UK, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Brazil, and India launched or expanded programs in Jain Studies. Notably: Ghent University (Belgium) has grown into the largest Jain Studies program in the world; Oxford University, SOAS–University of London, and the University of Birmingham established multiple PhD, MPhil, and research positions; In the United States, major endowments were created at institutions including Rice University, the University of Texas at Austin, Florida International University, and others; and The International School for Jain Studies (ISJS), Pune, expanded faculty, strengthened international partnerships, and advanced major research projects in Prakrit and Jain philosophy.
“These programs are not merely academic appointments,” noted an academic leader. “They are modern-day gnan mandirs—centers of wisdom dedicated to nonviolence, compassion, intellectual rigor, and openness to all traditions.”
Scholarship, Conferences, and Publications
Nearly 50 scholars are currently pursuing PhDs in Jain Studies, with an increasing number of young Jains choosing academic careers. Major international conferences were held in the UK, USA, and Europe, while Jain scholarship gained global visibility through presentations at the United Nations and other international forums. Several landmark books were published or are forthcoming in 2025, covering Jain mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, archaeology, history, and Anekāntavāda, further strengthening the field’s academic foundation.
A Growing Global Movement
Visit of Jain Academics to Jain Center of Atlanta
Today, Jain Studies is taught at nearly 55 universities across 12 countries, supported by: 11 Endowed Chairs, 14 Endowed Professorships, 10 Postdoctoral Fellowships, the world’s first Chair in Jain Archaeology, and a fully funded and fast-growing Arihanta Institute, offering over 50 online courses and an accredited MA program.
To date, over $50 million has been pledged by Jain donors—largely in the names of the 24 Tīrthaṅkars, rather than individuals.
“This collective humility is as powerful as the academic growth itself,” observed one senior educator. “It reflects the true spirit of Jain values in action.”
Looking Forward
From relative obscurity just two decades ago, Jain Studies has become one of the most dynamic and hopeful areas in global humanities today.
“We are only at the beginning,” said a long-time supporter. “The 21st century has the potential to become the century of Jain Studies—bringing the light of Ahimsa, pluralism, and interfaith dialogue to universities around the world.”
(All photos courtesy: Dr.Sulekh C Jain)
