The Aga Khan Centre is a place of education, knowledge, cultural exchange and insight into Muslim civilisations. The building is the UK home for three organisations founded by His Highness Aga Khan IV.

Aga Khan Foundation (UK)

The Aga Khan Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life, enhance self-reliance and promote pluralism in poor and marginalised communities of Asia and Africa. Established in 1967, its long-term, community-based approach addresses and benefits people of all faiths and backgrounds, especially women and girls. Its activities enhance agriculture and food security, promote early childhood development and access to quality education, improve health and nutrition, advance economic inclusion, and strengthen civil society.

Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations

The Aga Khan University (AKU) established the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (ISMC) in 2002. AKU-ISMC is a higher education institution with a focus on research, publication, graduate study and outreach. It promotes scholarship that opens up new perspectives on Muslim heritage, modernity, culture, religion and society. AKU-ISMC students conduct innovative research into Muslim civilisations and religious traditions primarily from the perspectives of the social sciences and humanities.

The Institute of Ismaili Studies

The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) was established in 1977 to promote scholarship and learning about Muslim societies and to encourage a better understanding of their relationships with other cultures and faiths. Its research, publications and educational programmes promote scholarship in previously marginalised areas of the study of Islam. These include the intellectual and literary heritages of Shi‘a Islam, with an emphasis on Ismaili traditions. IIS’s programmes focus on multiple approaches, expressions and interpretations, giving it a reputation for openness and tolerance.