Background of the Program

Buddhist higher education includes both scholastic and contemplative training. In Tibet, such training is accomplished through the traditional monastic education structures of shedra (college of studies) and drupdra (retreat centers).

Tsadra Foundation believes that the development of similar institutions—which respect traditional curriculum and yet are adapted to the West—is  essential to achieve consolidation wherever genuine Buddhism has found a home. For this reason, Tsadra Foundation supported selected Western study institutes and retreat centers that reflect this approach.

The foundation has offered grants to a number of such institutes and retreat centers in Europe, North America, and the Himalayan region to assist them in their operational and strategic development. We have also, on occasion, given grants to individuals significantly involved in developing higher education possibilities in the West. In addition, out of a deep gratitude toward the home of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, we have sponsored several Tibetan shedra and drupdra.

This program was terminated in 2010 and replaced by the Advanced Buddhist Studies Scholarships.