History

The International Institute for Qualitative Methodology (iiQM) is an interdisciplinary institute based at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and serving qualitative researchers around the world. 

The iiQM was founded in 1997 by Dr. Jan Morse (Nursing, University of Alberta) with the primary goal of advancing qualitative research methods across a wide range of academic disciplines. 

Over the years, the Institute offered numerous international conferences, workshops, seminars, membership and visitor programs, and other scholarly initiatives. In 2002, IIQM launched its official journal—the International Journal of Qualitative Methods (IJQM)—which has been published by SAGE since 2015. 

Between 2007 and 2020, the institute went through several phases of development and reorganization, growing its international networks and becoming a leader in advancing methods training. In 2022, a rebuilding phase began, and in 2023 the Faculty of Arts became the iiQM’s new home, with continued strong relationships to Nursing.

Today, the institute is focusing its efforts on change-oriented qualitative research, with particular emphasis on intersectional, interdisciplinary, decolonial, and community-engaged approaches. Thinking Qualitatively continues to be a signature annual event. In 2025, the iiQM became a founding partner of the Transforming Research for Social Impact Hub in the U of A’s College of Social Sciences.