The British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS) is associated with and financially supported by the British Academy and was established in 1961. Starting under the first director, Professor David Stronach, BIPS sponsored important archaeological work on sites such as Pasargardae, Nush-i Jan, Shahr-i Qumis, Haftavan Tepe, Baba Jan and Siraf. With the recent revival of international collaborative fieldwork and research in Iran, BIPS is sponsoring an increasing number of projects engaging activities in both Iran and the UK. BIPS awards grants each year for projects in different fields and also grants for visits to Iran or work in the UK by students and academics. BIPS organises periodic seminars and workshops in the UK, at which scholars supported by the Institute and others come together to present and discuss papers and meet individuals from home and overseas involved in different aspects of Persian Studies. The Institute also presents annual and summer lectures which are open to all.