The Vandals controlled the region in 430 AD and then Rome won it back again. Tunisia s holy city of al-Kairouan is Muslims 4th holiest city in the world, following Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. In the 12th C AD the Sicilian Normans conquered the area, followed by the Spanish in the 16th C and then the Ottomans. An Ottoman colony until the 19th C AD, Tunisia became a French colony and remained so until gaining its freedom from colonial rule in 1956 first as a constitutional monarchy and then a democratic republic, which it remains today. Tunis is a coastal city with a mediterranean climate.
Summers are warm and sunny, with average temperatures in the mid-eighties.
Men's and women's dormitories are close to the Institute as well as centrally located city amenities and markets. Hot meals may be purchased at one of the many inexpensive restaurants in the area around the university. For the novice speaker who wishes to learn Arabic in a culturally immersed context. Knowledge of Arabic preferred, but fluency not necessary. For the student with some knowledge of Arab culture and philosophy who is interested in an in-depth investigation of Arab philosophy, culture, and Islamic influence on them.