The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREES) is one of the nation's leading institutes for interdisciplinary research and training on Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Eurasia. First designated as a Slavic Language and Area Center in 1959, CREES currently awards U.S. Department of Education-supported Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships for this broad world area. Regional strengths include Russia, Central Europe (especially Poland and Czechia and the Slovak Republic), Southeastern Europe (notably former Yugoslavia), the Caucasus (particularly Armenia), and Central Asia. CREES is an affiliate of the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia and constituent unit of the International Institute,.
The center:
- Has over 70 outstanding affiliated faculty area specialists and visiting scholars who offer more than 150 courses each year on the business, cultures, demography, economics, history, languages, law, literatures, politics, public policy, and social organization of the region.
- Offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate major, a specialization in the MIRS master’s degree, and graduate certificates.
- Administers a range of student funding opportunities, including Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships, conference travel awards, and grants to support research and internships in the region.
- Organizes over 40 public events each year such as lectures, conferences, films, and mini-courses, many in collaboration with other U-M units.
- Benefits from the University's library collections which contain over 1 million items on the region.
- Serves as a local, state, regional, and national resource for expertise on Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Eurasia.
- Is an institutional member of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES), the leading international organization dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about Central Asia, the Caucasus, Russia, and Eastern Europe in regional and global contexts.
DIRECTIONS and PARKING
CREES is located in Weiser Hall, 500 Church Street, Suite 500, Ann Arbor.
PARKING
There is limited metered street parking near Weiser Hall on Church Street and South University Avenue. Two parking structures are approximately two blocks away:
Forest Avenue Public Parking Structure
- 650 South Forest Avenue
Palmer Drive Public Parking Structure
- Palmer Commons, Palmer Drive
For more information about parking in Ann Arbor, please visit DDA Ann Arbor.
University of Michigan employees with a U-M parking permit will find the Church Street structure the closest to Weiser Hall, with the Hill Street, Thayer Street, and Forest Avenue structures all within walking distance. Please note that many University parking structures are free and open to the public after 6 pm each day and on Sunday. For more information about parking at the University of Michigan, please visit Logistics, Transportation, and Parking.
