Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
Name	Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
Established	1995
Type	Defense education and research
City	Honolulu
State	Hawaii
Country	United States
Campus	Fort DeRussy

Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies is an interagency educational institution located in Honolulu, Hawaii, focused on security cooperation and strategic studies across the Indo-Pacific. The center brings together military and civilian leaders from the United States, Australia, Japan, India, South Korea, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Pacific Island nations to address regional challenges such as maritime disputes, transnational threats, and alliance interoperability. It operates within a network of defense and diplomatic institutions, collaborating with think tanks, universities, and multilateral organizations to strengthen policy dialogue and crisis management capacities.

History

The center was established in 1995 following initiatives linked to United States Department of Defense transformation efforts and post–Cold War regional engagement strategies advocated by leaders connected to Pacific Command (PACOM), United States Indo-Pacific Command, and policymakers influenced by events like the 1991 Gulf War, the 1994 Rwandan Genocide humanitarian responses, and proposals from the Cox Report era strategic reviews. Early programs reflected lessons from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 1998 North Korea nuclear crisis, and cooperative measures developed after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Foundational partnerships involved representatives from Australia Department of Defence, Ministry of Defence (Japan), Ministry of Defence (India), Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and Pacific governance bodies such as the Pacific Islands Forum. Over time the institution adapted curricula in response to events including the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and rising strategic competition exemplified by policy documents like the National Defense Strategy (United States).

Mission and Programs

The institution's mission emphasizes security cooperation, capacity building, and strategic dialogue across the Indo-Pacific, aligning with directives from entities such as United States Pacific Command leadership, the Secretary of Defense (United States), and interagency counterparts like the Department of State (United States). Programs include resident courses for flag officers and senior civilians, short courses for mid-level leaders, and executive seminars that address topics seen in multilateral frameworks like the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Specialized initiatives cover maritime security involving stakeholders from the International Maritime Organization, counterterrorism cooperation relevant to ISIS and Al-Qaeda concerns in the region, humanitarian assistance modeled on lessons from USAID and United States Agency for International Development disaster responses, and cyber security dialogues informed by Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency practices.

Organization and Leadership

The center is led by a director with a background often drawn from senior officers associated with commands like United States Pacific Command and staff experienced with interagency postings to United States Department of State or assignments in embassies such as Embassy of the United States, Tokyo or Embassy of the United States, Canberra. Organizational elements include academic divisions, research branches, outreach offices, and administrative units liaising with partners including the Office of the Secretary of Defense and regional ministries like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), and national defense establishments such as the People's Liberation Army—insofar as academic engagement permits. Notable leaders have included retired flag officers and civilian scholars with affiliations to institutions such as Naval War College, Army War College (United States), Harvard Kennedy School, and National Defense University (United States).

Curriculum and Research

The curriculum blends strategic studies, regional security analysis, and practical planning exercises drawing on case studies from the South China Sea dispute, the Taiwan Strait crisis, and humanitarian operations like responses to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. Courses incorporate scenario planning used by organizations such as RAND Corporation, wargaming approaches pioneered at Marine Corps War College, and policy research methods seen at Brookings Institution and Center for Strategic and International Studies. Research outputs address topics including maritime domain awareness, influenced by technologies from United States Space Force and agencies like National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, as well as energy security analyses tied to projects like the Trans-Pacific Partnership debates and infrastructure issues reminiscent of the Belt and Road Initiative. Faculty and fellows publish studies, white papers, and seminar reports in collaboration with scholars from University of Hawaii, Australian National University, National University of Singapore, SOAS University of London, and regional research centers.

Partnerships and Outreach

The center maintains partnerships with multilateral organizations and academic institutions such as the ASEAN, the Pacific Islands Forum, the United Nations, and regional defense establishments including Japan Self-Defense Forces, Royal Australian Navy, Indian Navy, and Republic of Korea Navy. Outreach extends to civil society actors, think tanks like The Heritage Foundation, Lowy Institute, Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada, and policy networks involving the Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society. The center hosts joint seminars with embassies, offers faculty exchanges with universities such as University of Tokyo, Peking University, and Tsinghua University, and engages in capacity-building programs with Pacific states represented at forums like the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Campus and Facilities

Located on premises adjacent to Fort DeRussy and proximate to Honolulu landmarks including Waikiki and Pearl Harbor, the campus comprises lecture halls, an academic library, conference facilities, and secure classrooms equipped for videoconferencing with partners like USINDOPACOM headquarters. Facilities support simulation labs using methodologies from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-influenced tools and host delegations from ministries such as the Ministry of Defence (New Zealand) and international offices like the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The campus environment facilitates networking with regional institutions and visiting scholars from centers including East-West Center and Pacific Forum International.

Category:Defense education institutions Category:International relations