We stopped at Herstmonceux Castle while exploring the Eastbourne area in East Sussex, England. Little did we know that the castle operates as an International Study Centre for Queen’s University in Canada! Herstmonceux Castle is one of the oldest (construction began in 1441) significant brick buildings still standing in England; brick was an unusual material for the time in Britain. The builders of Herstmonceux Castle concentrated more on grandeur and comfort than on defence. Made from red brick Herstmonceux Castle is one of the earliest examples of a brick built building in England. Herstmonceux consists of a 300 acre estate including woodland, formal themed gardens and of course a 15th century moated castle.

In 1992 Alfred Bader, an alumnus of Queen's University, Ontario, learned of the castle's vacancy and offered to purchase the castle for his wife; she declined, joking that there would be "too many rooms to clean". Bader later contacted then-Principal of Queen's University, David Chadwick Smith, asking if a castle might fit into the school's plans, possibly as an international study centre.

In 1994, after intensive renovations, the Queen's International Study Centre was opened. It hosts primarily undergraduate students studying arts or commerce through the Canadian University Study Abroad Program (CUSAP), as well as graduate students studying Public International Law or International Business Law. In late January 2009, the ISC was renamed the Bader International Study Centre.

The BISC's internationally themed courses combined with field studies throughout England and Europe introduce students to both academic excellence and exploration of the world. BISC provide students with an international perspective, a strong grounding in communication, core degree courses, and a sense of social and global awareness.