Graduate programs to ‘conclude’ at MIIS in 2027
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey has announced it will be “concluding” its graduate programs in Monterey in 2027.
Middlebury President Ian B. Baucom made the announcement to the school community on Thursday afternoon.
“The Board of Trustees on Wednesday, August 27, convened a special meeting and approved my recommendation that we conclude residential graduate programs and the online degree programs described below at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey,” Baucom said in an email to the community. “We will complete these programs and operations based in Monterey over the next two years.
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey has announced it will be "concluding" its graduate programs in Monterey in 2027. (David Timonera - Monterey Herald Correspondent)“First and foremost, we are committed to supporting our currently enrolled students, including those starting this fall, so that they may successfully complete their degrees by June 2027, with a full array of on-campus resources, including career services. We also are working to support faculty and staff to provide the smoothest possible transition over the next two years.”
Middlebury’s James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, which is based in Monterey and not included among the Institute’s academic degree programs, will continue to operate under the Middlebury umbrella in multiple locations including Monterey; Washington, D.C.; Middlebury, Vermont; and Vienna, Austria according to a press release from the school.
Summer programs currently held in Monterey — including School of the Environment, Bread Loaf School of English’s short program and the English Language School, will continue to be housed at the Monterey campus at least for 2026.
“To be clear, this was a financial decision and not a reflection on the quality of our programs,” Baucom said in the statement. “We are incredibly grateful to all of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni who continue to exemplify the mission of MIIS.”
The school said it has experienced a steep decline in enrollments and applications following the pandemic. This has left MIIS’s programs operating with significant deficits for the past several years, according to the press release.
The school was founded as the Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies in 1955. It later became known as the Monterey Institute of International Studies according to the school’s website. In 2010, Middlebury College of Vermont, which was founded in 1800, formally acquired the Institute following a five-year affiliation agreement. Middlebury is known for its leadership in language instruction, environmental studies, international programs and innovations in experiential learning.
In 2015, the Institute was renamed as the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. It has several buildings scattered in and near downtown Monterey. The school has about 700 graduate students and 500 staff and faculty members.
“The City of Monterey will continue to support MIIS during this transition,” said Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar in a press release from the city. “… we hope the students, faculty, and administration can look back at their time at MIIS fondly and will always consider Monterey home.”
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey has announced it will be "concluding" its graduate programs in Monterey in 2027. (David Timonera - Monterey Herald Correspondent)
