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| Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies | |
|---|---|
| Name | Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies |
| Established | 1966 |
| Type | Public research school |
| Parent | Australian National University |
| City | Canberra |
| Country | Australia |
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies is a major academic unit within the Australian National University focused on the study of the Asia-Pacific region, Pacific Islands, and broader Asian connections. It has produced scholarship on Indonesia, Japan, China, India, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands Forum spanning history, politics, languages, and social change. The school has engaged with institutions such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), the World Bank, the United Nations, and regional universities including the University of Tokyo and the University of Malaya.
The school was established in the context of post-war shifts in Australian foreign policy following events like the Indonesian National Revolution and the Korean War, and was influenced by figures associated with the Australian National University and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Early leaders drew on connections with scholars from Harvard University, London School of Economics, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and the Australian National University. Its formation intersected with debates over treaties such as the ANZUS Treaty and regional forums including the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. During the Cold War era, research addressed topics connected to the Vietnam War, the Cultural Revolution, and the Non-Aligned Movement. In subsequent decades the school expanded with comparative work relating to the Asian Financial Crisis (1997), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and trade dynamics involving the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization.
Governance historically involved academic boards linked to the Australian National University Council and oversight from offices such as the Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University. Internal divisions included area studies and thematic programs drawing on traditions from the School of Oriental and African Studies, Cornell University, and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. The school administered language training in languages like Japanese language, Indonesian language, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi language and various Pacific languages through specialist units analogous to those at the East–West Center. Funding and governance arrangements engaged with bodies including the Australian Research Council, the Asia Foundation, and philanthropic entities such as the Ford Foundation.
The school offered postgraduate and doctoral programs modeled on international area studies centers like Columbia University's East Asian Institute and the School of Oriental and African Studies programs. Research centers affiliated or integrated with the school addressed topics such as modern China studies, Japan studies, Indonesia studies, and Pacific Islands research, and included specialist institutes comparable to the Crawford School of Public Policy for policy-relevant scholarship. Centers focused on themes such as maritime studies tied to the South China Sea, development studies connected to the Asian Development Bank, and historical archives akin to the National Archives of Australia. The school published journals and working papers in the vein of the Journal of Asian Studies and collaborated on monographs with presses like Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press.
Faculty and alumni have included scholars who engaged with regional politics, law, and culture, interacting with institutions such as the United Nations Development Programme, the International Monetary Fund, and national ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (China), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Indonesia). Prominent academics associated with the school have been comparable in stature to figures from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Australian Prime Ministers, and senior diplomats who served in missions to Beijing, Tokyo, Jakarta and Wellington. Alumni have occupied positions in think tanks such as the Lowy Institute, the Grattan Institute, and international organizations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Asian Development Bank.
Located on the Canberra campus of the Australian National University, the school utilized facilities including specialist libraries akin to the Canberra Public Library collections, language laboratories, and archival holdings comparable to the National Library of Australia. Its campus presence interfaced with precincts hosting the Parliament of Australia, the High Commission of Australia in London’s liaison offices, and research clusters near the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation laboratories. Physical resources supported fieldwork preparation for projects in regions such as Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
The school developed partnerships with universities and institutions including the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, the National University of Singapore, the Peking University, the University of Hong Kong, and regional bodies such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum. Collaborative research projects were undertaken with entities like the Australian Agency for International Development and multilateral organizations such as the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization, addressing issues from economic integration to health systems strengthening in partnership with national governments including those of Australia, Japan, China, India and Indonesia.
The school influenced policy debates on issues ranging from regional security dialogues such as the East Asia Summit to economic frameworks like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and infrastructure initiatives related to the Belt and Road Initiative. Its scholarship contributed to historical understanding of events including the Malayan Emergency and the Sukarno period, to literary studies involving authors linked with Nobel Prize in Literature laureates from Asia, and to legal scholarship relevant to treaties such as the Treaty of Tordesillas in comparative historical perspective. The legacy endures in networks of alumni situated across academia, government, and international organizations including the United Nations and regional development banks, and in institutional models for area studies used by universities worldwide.