About the LeidenAsiaCentre
Academic knowledge that can be applied in society
The aim of the LeidenAsiaCentre is to generate academic knowledge on modern East Asia that can find societal applications in the Netherlands.
Key mission and activities
The LeidenAsiaCentre focuses primarily on East Asia: China (including Taiwan), Japan, Korea and Singapore, but is expanding its focus to include South and Southeast Asia, notably India and the Indo-Pacific.
As an independent NGO by Dutch law the LeidenAsiaCente identifies topics within social-economic and political developments within Asia that are of relevance for The Netherland and more broadly speaking, Europe at large. Research on these topics should lead to new academic knowledge, which will be disseminated throughout society (Dutch, European, Asian) by organizing conferences, webinars which are accessible to a broad audience. Reports, books, and well as policy briefs are published on the Centre’s website.
The LeidenAsiaCentre actively aims to expand its expertise and to use this in collaboration with a growing number of diverse societal partners, in particular the business sector, the social midfield, the media, governments and academic and non-academic knowledge centres.
We achieve this by:
- Consulting with the societal field in identifying research questions;
- Conducting original academic research, taking into account the needs of partners in society;
- Building and expanding a broad network within the Dutch government, the media, educational institutions, the business sector and the social midfield;
- Disseminating knowledge by means of lectures, conferences, intensive training courses and publications.
Societal partners
The LeidenAsiaCentre works together with societal partners in the Netherlands to identify relevant research topics and to formulate the most appropriate – in some cases supplementary – research questions. This will create knowledge that responds to a direct societal need. The centre itself is responsible for the research, which is carried out by independent researchers, other experts and consultants both in and outside the Netherlands. We also collaborate actively with our partners in disseminating the results of this research.
Core themes
The LeidenAsiaCentre organises its research projects and other activities around a number of core themes agreed upon for the coming period, each of which has an average duration of approximately two years. The core themes for 2021-2022 are:
- Agility in the Face of Change
- The Challenge of Technological Solutions
- New Challenges in Communication
- Shifting Alliances
The advantage of this approach is that projects can concentrate on specific questions, always as far as possible in the context of related projects. The core themes themselves will be further expanded through an integrated approach: within a theme, the different research projects, policy advice, information, education, training and network building will be addressed as a cohesive whole.
Besides the themes that have already been agreed upon, the LeidenAsiaCentre is cooperating with interested parties on developing new themes.
Funding
The LeidenAsiaCentre is funded to a large extent through the Vaes-Elias Fund, managed by the Leiden University Fund (LUF). Apart from this fund, the foundation receives subsidies, grants and donations in exchange for her activities. The supervisory board approves the multi-year budget once every two years, which forms the framework in which projects are being undertaken.
Network building
The LeidenAsiaCentre has an extensive network in the Netherlands within the central government and municipalities, the media, business sector, civil society and the academic world.
Contact
The LeidenAsiaCentre is open for inputs from third parties concerning suggestions for themes for academic research on Asia. We are also interested in co-organising conferences on relevant themes, and would be pleased to contribute ideas for creating initiatives that can expand and disseminate knowledge about Asia.
If you are interested in our research or in a possible partnership, we invite you to contact us via info@leidenasiacentre.nl or by telephone: 071-527 2541.
