Each year, the IEI will promote a research theme that engages both the international and Nicaraguan reality and support academic research in Nicaragua related to the theme. The IEI will also organize two conferences per year that will provide additional input and promote the discussion and exchange of work in progress. The IEI will also establish a publishing house for the dissemination of work associated with the IEI and as a promoter for related research by Nicaraguan scholars who have not found other suitable outlets for their work.
Research themes
The focus group involved in the design and planning of IEI is tentatively proposing the following themes:
- Culture and development
- Identity and community building
- Intercultural communication and development
- Cultural and environmental diversity
The theme for each year will be selected according to the following criteria:
- It addresses a particularly acute problem-complex
- It is of global concern
- It is directly related to the Third World in general
- It is directly related to Nicaragua in particular.
Disciplinary composition
As the design of the institute is theme-oriented, it has in principle no disciplinary restrictions. Moreover, as the innovative approaches that have emerged in other areas such as the interdisciplinary study of biomedical ethics or human rights attest, we believe that fostering such dialogue will prove to have long-run benefits for the work of the IEI.
Institutional structure
The initial structure of the IEI is expected to be:
- Director (half time — Nicaraguan)
- Academic Advisory Board
- One (1) Senior Consultant (Director Casa de Los Tres Mundos)
- One (1) Permanent Researcher (half time)
- Visiting Researchers (short term/long term, max. 8 p.a.)
- One (1) Grant Writer/Manager
- One (1) Administrative Staff
- One (1) Editor (honorary, Sergio Ramirez)
- Editorial Advisory Board
- One (1) Assistant Editor
- One (1) Publishing house Administrative Staff