Affiliation : University of Bergen    Head of the Institue : Professor Sigmund Grønmo    Date of establishment : 1988    Field : promote interdepartmental co-operation among the Middle East scholars of the University    Tel : + 47 55 58 26 47, +47 55 58 00 00    Fax : +47 55 58 42 51    Addres : SMI, University of Bergen. PO Box 7800 N, 5020 Bergen, Norway    Email : post@smi.uib.no    Url : http://www.uib.no/smi/en    More : Other address: University of Bergen, Nygardsgt. 5, N-5015 Bergen, Norway he early developments in Middle Eastern research in Bergen took place in the late 1960s and early 1970s, in which the role of the anthropological milieu around Professor Fredrik Barth and his work on Iran and the Sudan was fundamental. However, it soon transpired that several scholars had independently developed an interest in the Middle East, and in particular the Sudan. As this milieu grew, initiatives were made to co-ordinate and support these efforts. This came into fruition in the mid-late 1980s, in particular through the support and initiative of the late Director of the University, Magne Lerheim. It led to the establishment of two research Centres concerned with the area, the Centre for Development Studies in 1986 and the Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies in 1988. The tasks of these two are different; the CDS covers all of the developing world, although the University's preoccupation with the Middle East is felt also in the CDS; thus both its directors to date have been Sudan specialists. The CDS has been a project-oriented centre, which has sought finance from and to a large extent carried out projects for, external clients.