International Institute for Asian Studies

International Institute for Asian Studies
Name	International Institute for Asian Studies
Formation	1997
Headquarters	Leiden
Location	Leiden University
Region served	Asia, Europe
Leader title	Director

International Institute for Asian Studies is an international research institute based in Leiden that fosters interdisciplinary scholarship on Asia and facilitates collaborations among scholars, institutions, and cultural organizations. The institute interfaces with universities, museums, libraries, and policy institutes to support research agendas spanning South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Eurasia. It convenes conferences, curates publications, and administers fellowship programs that connect Asia-focused scholars from institutions such as University of Oxford, Harvard University, Peking University, University of Tokyo, and National University of Singapore.

History

The institute emerged amid late-20th-century expansions of area studies and interregional networks linking Leiden University with partners like Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Max Planck Society, School of Oriental and African Studies, and École française d'Extrême-Orient. Early collaborations involved projects with British Museum, Rijksmuseum, and National Museum of Ethnology (Leiden), and engagements with scholars associated with Columbia University, Australian National University, SOAS University of London, and University of California, Berkeley. Programmatic milestones included conferences that intersected with initiatives from Asia-Europe Foundation, European Association for Asian Studies, Association for Asian Studies, and UNESCO. The institute has hosted visiting scholars linked to research centers such as King's College London, University of Toronto, University of Copenhagen, Leipzig University, and University of Melbourne.

Mission and Objectives

The institute's mission aligns with international agendas advanced by entities like World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Commission, and United Nations Development Programme to promote knowledge exchange between Asia and Europe. Objectives emphasize fostering connections among academics from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Kyoto University, and Seoul National University, and cultural practitioners from institutions such as National Palace Museum (Taiwan), Shanghai Museum, Vatican Library, and Metropolitan Museum of Art. It seeks to support research that informs dialogues involving policymakers at Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands), representatives at European Parliament, and delegates at ASEAN summits.

Research and Programs

Research themes have spanned urban studies with scholars from University of Hong Kong and Tsinghua University, heritage studies involving ICOMOS and International Council on Archives, migration studies in partnership with International Organization for Migration, and environmental humanities with collaborators from Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, and Princeton University. Programmatic offerings include thematic clusters on topics addressed by scholars associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi, University of Madras, Chulalongkorn University, and University of the Philippines. The institute organizes workshops featuring researchers from Columbia University, Yale University, Cornell University, University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins University.

Publications and Projects

The institute has produced edited volumes and working papers in partnership with publishers and presses such as Brill Publishers, Routledge, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Springer. Major projects have included collaborative exhibitions with National Museum Singapore, digitization initiatives with British Library, and oral history projects in cooperation with Asian Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch. Special issues have featured contributors from Japan Foundation, Korea Foundation, Taiwan Ministry of Culture, India Council for Cultural Relations, and Habitat International Coalition.

Education and Training

Training programs connect postgraduate fellows from Leiden University, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Utrecht University, Delft University of Technology, and international participants from Pune University, University of Colombo, University of Malaya, and Universitas Indonesia. Short courses draw faculty from University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of British Columbia Okanagan, University of Auckland, and University of Otago, while doctoral networks have linked students at National Taiwan University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Sejong University, and Moscow State University.

Partnerships and Networks

Formal partnerships include memoranda with academic and cultural institutions such as Leiden University Libraries, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, KITLV (Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies), Asian Development Bank Institute, and East–West Center. Networks convened by the institute have incorporated members from European Association for Southeast Asian Studies, International Convention of Asia Scholars, Asia-Europe Meeting, Bologna Center (SAIS)],] and regional archives like National Archives of Japan and National Archives of India.

Governance and Funding

Governance structures have involved boards and advisory panels comprising scholars affiliated with Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, European Research Council, and representatives from partner universities such as Utrecht University and Radboud University Nijmegen. Funding streams have included grants and support from bodies like Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, NWO, European Union Horizon 2020, private foundations such as Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and project grants linked to collaborations with Asia-Europe Foundation and UNESCO.

Category:Research institutes in the Netherlands