Aga Khan Centre

A New Home for the Institutions of the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in the United Kingdom

The Aga Khan Centre in London serves as a purpose-built hub for three UK-based institutions established by His Highness the Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. Designed to foster learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange, the Centre includes educational facilities, offices, convening spaces, and public venues. It is envisioned as a vibrant space for engagement with the heritage and contemporary realities of Muslim civilisations.

For over four decades, the institutions of the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network have been active in the United Kingdom through three key organizations: the Aga Khan Foundation UK (AKF UK), the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS), and the Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC).

AKF UK works to improve quality of life, strengthen self-reliance, and promote pluralism through partnerships with local communities, the private sector, and governments in the UK and internationally. IIS and AKU-ISMC are centres of higher learning focused on research, publications, and graduate-level education. They apply interdisciplinary approaches from the humanities and social sciences to the study of Muslim cultures, contributing to innovative scholarship and global dialogue. Together, these institutions aim to bridge divides and foster a more pluralistic and peaceful world—addressing what His Highness has called a “clash of ignorances.”

His Highness the Aga Khan IV is the founder of all three institutions—AKF, AKU, and IIS. As the 49th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, a transnational community, he carries both spiritual and temporal responsibilities. The Ismaili Imamat traces its lineage directly to the Prophet Muhammad, and its leadership reflects a tradition in which spiritual and material dimensions of life are understood as deeply intertwined. As such, the Imam’s role encompasses religious guidance as well as a commitment to the everyday well-being of individuals and communities.