About the Centre

The Asia Research Centre has established itself over more than a decade as an international leader in the study of East and Southeast Asia, undertaking fundamental interdisciplinary and disciplinary research into a wide range of social, political and economic dynamics within the region. The thematic focus, however, is on the analysis of forces within the region that mediate the form and impact of globalisation.

Its objectives are to: produce high quality academic research publications for international and domestic audiences; foster the development of high quality research graduates; and to constructively contribute to public policy debate and public understanding on issues concerning contemporary Asia.

Through a nationally competitive process, the Asia Research Centre was established as a Special Research Centre of the Australian Research Council in 1991 to provide analysis of social, political and economic change in contemporary East and Southeast Asia.

Since the natural conclusion of the Special Research Centre funding of nine years, Murdoch University has continued to support the Centre. In 2000, Contemporary Asia was also officially recognised as an area of the university's key research strengths. This exercise was in response to a requirement by federal education authorities that all Australian universities identify select areas for funding purposes.

The Centre encompasses researchers from across Murdoch University. It also regularly engages in collaboration with researchers from other universities around the world.