New Asia focus at the University of Copenhagen

In September the University of Copenhagen launches a new interdisciplinary Asia focus, Asian Dynamics Initiative (ADI) based in the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Social Sciences. 

The impact of Asian dynamics on international development and globalization processes is evident. With its expanding economic markets, growing centres for science and technology, complex political systems, and diverse cultures and religions Asia has become important for our understanding of the world today. While the spectacular progress has improved standards of living for much of Asia’s population, the challenges in the region are also considerable: environmental deterioration, extremely uneven distribution of wealth, violation of human rights, internal tensions and conflicts, terrorism and corruption.

At the University of Copenhagen the growing focus on Asia is also observed. An increasing number of students choose to study Asia related matters, and researchers are invited by the media to analyse and comment on the news flow from the Asian part of the world.

To meet the demands the University of Copenhagen has decided to launch the Asian Dynamics Initiative. ADI is to coordinate existing resources on Asia and to function as a catalyst for developing new insights in this field of science. Furthermore, ADI will organize activities such as workshops, seminars and cross-faculty courses.