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Von Hügel Institute

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the Von Hügel Institute for Critical Catholic Inquiry.

Established in 1987 to undertake interdisciplinary research inspired by Catholic thought and culture, the VHI is an institute of advanced study focused on contemporary realities and dedicated to encounter, dialogue, and transformation.

We are an integral part of St Edmund’s College, one of the most vibrant, diverse and international Colleges in the University of Cambridge, and the only constituent College of the University to have a specifically Catholic character. In this special context, we provide a distinctive space for research and formation in service of the common good.

As an institute of advanced studies, we welcome leading thinkers and practitioners from around the globe to collaborate across disciplines. As an institute for critical catholic inquiry, we are committed to exploring the whole of reality in all its diversity and interconnectedness.

The VHI is thus uniquely positioned to develop outstanding research, convene innovative conversations and establish leading collaborations with a wide range of partners in academia, the Church, and society, locally and globally.

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VHI Speakers

Our
Projects

We believe that catholic thinking is a powerful critical resource for fostering and inspiring analysis, imagination and transformation in the academy, in the church and in the world.

Alongside the pioneering work of its research associates and affiliate members, the VHI develops wider innovative projects that connect academy and society.

Discover our research

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International
Outreach

In 2022, St Edmund’s College signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The University of Notre Dame (USA). The MOU encourages and supports international collaboration in education, research, and outreach between the VHI and Notre Dame London.

A second MoU was signed in April 2025, to strengthen existing initiatives and ushers in new opportunities for intellectual partnership.

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Support
Our Work

The VHI celebrates the richness of Catholic thought and culture. Through our programming, research, and engagement in public discourse, we promote mutual enrichment between the best of the secular academy and the Catholic traditions of theology, philosophy, ethics, arts and sciences.

This is a most exciting time to get involved with the VHI. Invest in our vision by funding our conferences and workshops, or endowing our permanent and visiting positions.

Make a Donation