Why study at Asia Institute?
With over thirty academic staff, and a strong record of teaching, publications and research grants, the Asia Institute is one of the two pre-eminent centres in Australia that bring together disciplinary and linguistic expertise on Asia.
The Institute, through its undergraduate and postgraduate study programs, promotes study of the rich languages, intellectual, cultural, political and religious traditions of Asia and of the Islamic world and their contemporary manifestations. Language programmes include Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian and Japanese.
Our staff
The Institute's staff have a broad range of research strengths that include:
- politics
- anthropology
- economics
- linguistics
- history
- religion
- society
Our staff provide expertise across a number of Asian countries and the Middle East.
Our research
Research grants and linkages are supported by national and international agencies, including those from North America and Asia. Our establishment of the Centre for Islamic Law & Society (CILS), and the Aceh Research Training Institute (ARTI), are prime examples of the inter-relationship between fundamental research and engagement with the broader community.
Multi-disciplinary approach
Staff of the Asia Institute hold joint appointments in the Faculty of Medicine, in the Departments of Political Science and History, and are co-located in the Faculty of Law. These appointments have been important in "mainstreaming" Asian studies across the university, as have the Asia Literacy Awards for University staff, who now have enhanced opportunities to study Asian languages.
The study of Asia at the Institute and the University of Melbourne is multi-disciplinary. Large numbers of students from the Faculties of Arts, Law, Music, Medicine, Architecture and Economics, amongst others, undertake Asian language or studies programs, thus providing a wealth of study and future career options. Students can also benefit from "in country" study through Melbourne Abroad Language Scholarships which provide opportunities to practice their learnt languages, and spend a period of time living as participant-observers in the societies and cultures of Asia.
Award-winning Sidney Myer Asia Centre
The Asia Institute is located in the award-winning Sidney Myer Asia Centre at the University of Melbourne. There we offer a vibrant and varied program of public lectures, seminars and events hosted in our state of the art 500-seat Lecture Theatre. These programs bring prominent Asian specialists to our students and to the community at large.
The Sidney Myer Asia Centre is a purpose-built facility to house the Asia Institute (formerly Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies) and the Asialink Centre. Its purpose is to be a catalyst for Australia's understanding and engagement with contemporary Asia, and to foster awareness of the importance to civilization of the diverse Asian cultures, both ancient and modern.
The Sidney Myer Asia Centre was a $18.5 million project designed by Bob Nation of Nation Fender Katsalidis to form a 'book-end' to the award-winning Ian Potter Museum of Art as part of the streetscape of the University's external profile on Swanston Street. The building was erected by Probuild Constructions and in 2002 won the Master Builders Association of Australia award for 'Excellence in New Construction (Buildings) $10-50 million'. It comprises the 500-seat Carrillo Gantner Theatre and five storeys of teaching and learning, research and academic office space.
To mark the centenary of the arrival in Melbourne of one of Australia's most successful immigrants - Sidney Myer - the Myer family reinforced its commitment to Asia-Australia relations in 1999 with a $2 million grant to the University of Melbourne for the design and building of the Sidney Myer Asia Centre.
For further information about the Asia Institute, please contact the Arts Student Centre.
Photo by Michael Ewing