Founded by Professor Teddy Thomas in 1994, the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (IAPs) has been the major centre of the University of Nottingham for research and postgraduate teaching on Asia-Pacific.
The geographical focus of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies is Northeast, Southeast, South and Central Asia and the countries of the Middle East.
The Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies is a University-level research centre and currently affiliated with the School of Politics and International Relations. It brings together more than thirty full-time staff members , visiting scholars and students to foster Asian scholarship across disciplinary boundaries.
The mission of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies is to promote advanced research in the humanities and social sciences, support and co-ordinate postgraduate teaching and enhance understanding of Asia-Pacific across the University of Nottingham and in a broader community.
The development of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies is characterised by broad-based research programmes. Members and visiting scholars at the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies are distinguished by their inter-disciplinary and multi-national research interests and projects. These range from:
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Democratisation in Asia to Asian film festivals
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Chinese business to Japanese telecommunications reforms
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Economic co-operation in Northeast Asia to financial market development in Southeast Asia
The Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies organises an annual research seminar series on a wide range of topics and hosts international conferences . Recent highlights include conferences on War on Terror: Perspectives from Europe and Asia in 2007 and on Labour Struggles in Asia and the Diaspora in 2009. The Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies will organise an international workshop on East Asian Capitalism: Diversity, Change and Continuity in June 2010.
The Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies enjoys a generous bequest from the late Sir Stanley and Lady Nancy Tomlinson. This has greatly facilitated the efforts of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies to organise events , support research and teaching, promote publications and provide key resources for students and scholars with an interest in Asia-Pacific studies.
The Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies promotes co-operation in research, teaching and resource development in collaboration with the China Policy Institute , the Institute for Middle Eastern Studies and the China and Malaysia campuses of the University of Nottingham.