Learn English – Use “of” or “for” with Institute, Department, Office…

grammarprepositions

When should which be used and what's the difference?

Department of XYZ
or
Department for XYZ

Institute of ABC
or
Institute for ABC

Federal Office of
or
Federal Office for

Is there any sort of rule for this?

The "problem" is that it's an ongoing debate in the Department (non-English-speaking country) on how to properly translate it into English.

Best Answer

I believe you are specifically asking this question to avoid a possible embarrassing translation.

example:

Institute for the Criminally Insane

Most likely means an institute which helps and/or houses the criminally insane

Institute of the Criminally Insane

Perhaps is an institute run by persons who are criminally insane and/or an institute which advances the status of the criminally insane.

The second example is admittedly humorous and is intended to exaggerate the difference in connotation. Your use of either 'of' or 'for' should surely be determined by the context of the actual name it is to be applied to. No doubt someone in your own department's debate has mentioned a similar example to the one I have given.