IS-LE: Islamic Legacy, pan-European project coordinated in SPAIN
IS-LE established a transnational research project with over 80 institutional partners across 40 countries to reframe the study of Islamic heritage in Europe and the Mediterranean. Through collaborative research, training, and open resources, it connected fragmented research traditions and fostered new narratives for academics, policymakers, and society at large.
The IS-LE: Islamic Legacy project was established to profoundly reshape how Islamic heritage in Europe and the Mediterranean is studied and understood. Being developed between 2019 to 2023 under the coordination of UNED in Madrid, Spain, this pan-European research initiative united over 200 researchers from 40 countries and more than 80 institutions. Its central ambition was to overcome traditional national and disciplinary boundaries by creating a stable, interdisciplinary research platform for the connected histories of Islamic and Christian worlds during the late medieval and early modern periods (1350-1750).
Prior to IS-LE, the study of Islamic heritage in Europe had been fragmented, often limited to separate regions such as Iberia or the Balkans. IS-LE introduced a transnational, multi-perspective model, integrating history, art history, literature, anthropology, and digital humanities. The project focused on shared legacies and mutual influences, situating Islamic heritage as an integral part of Europe’s pluralistic past.
Research was structured around three collaborative working groups: “The (Imaginary) Construction of the Other,” “Migration and Identity,” and “Beyond Borders”, each exploring a connected history rather than parallel national narratives.
The impact of IS-LE’s network extends well beyond academic research. Six major publications have reframed the interpretation of Islamic sites and objects in European and Mediterranean heritage. The project fostered research and documentation on many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Alhambra in Granada and the Mosque of Córdoba, both in Spain, and the Old Bridge of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as significant museum collections.
IS-LE prioritised capacity building and educating the next generation of researchers. Three international training schools, held in Spain, Tunisia, and Sweden, and over 30 workshops provided emerging scholars with skills and networks for future interdisciplinary work. The project launched a Massive Open Online Course, TV documentaries, short films, and subtitled educational videos – resources designed to reach broad audiences and promote nuanced understandings of Islamic heritage. All the educational materials are freely accessible.
The project introduced a sustainable, scalable network model. IS-LE grew from 59 to over 200 researchers and developed an active online presence with open-access resources, event documentation, and digital archives. Its methodology and network structure are transferable to other minority heritage fields and offer a blueprint for international, interdisciplinary collaboration.
IS-LE was funded by the COST, the European funding organisation for Cooperation in Science and Technology. The project’s tools, publications, and digital materials remain accessible after the project’s end, and continue to support teaching and research across Europe and the Mediterranean.
“IS-LE’s transnational and multidisciplinary approach contributes to a better understanding of Islamic heritage as part of European history and to contemporary discussions on shared values,” the Awards’ Jury stated. “The project’s open-access publications and efforts to bridge fragmented research traditions across countries are important achievements,” the Jury added.
Contact: Antonio Urquízar; Borja Franco; Elena Paulino | IS-LE: Islamic Legacy | costactionisle@gmail.com | www.is-le.uned.es