CIBI

About the Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland

The Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland (CIBI) is a collaborative venture between the British Province of Carmelites, the Irish Province of Carmelites, and the Anglo-Irish Province of Discalced Carmelites.

Following the formation of CIBI in 2005, it was decided that it would initially offer two programmes. The first, the Diploma in Carmelite Studies, is a 12 module undergraduate-level programme and the second, the Adult Education programme in Carmelite Studies, is a 32 module programme designed for those who have not been involved in formal studies for some years. Both programmes are delivered by distance learning using the internet and they are accredited by the Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy in Dublin.

In the Spring of 2006, CIBI invited applications from prospective students and the first students, who came from the United Kingdom and from Ireland commenced their studies in September of that year. It was not long before students from Australia, Canada and the United States enrolled for the programmes and, today, CIBI has students from almost every part of the world were English is spoken.

The first graduates of the Adult Education Diploma in Carmelite Studies were conferred with their awards at the Milltown Institute in Dublin in 2009 and the first graduates of the Diploma in Carmelite Studies were conferred with their awards two years later, in 2011.

Following the success of the two programmes on offer, and the desire of many to continue their studies on Carmelite Studies at postgraduate level, it was decided to investigate the possibility of offering a Masters programme. The first students for CIBI's Master of Arts in Carmelite Studies, accredited by York St John University in the United Kingdom, were enrolled in January 2012.

In responce to the continuing demand for more diverse programmes, in November 2012 three new programmes were launched. The "Discovering Carmel Certificate", an under-graduate programme, and two post-graduate programmes, the "Higher Certificate in Carmelite Studies" and the "Higher Diploma in Carmel Studies".