About
UCD’s Centre for Asia-Pacific Research was founded as a research centre in 2022. Its precursor was the Asia-Pacific Research Network, founded in 2017 as an initiative by UCD academics in the Colleges of Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences & Law. The centre's connective research ethos is reflected in its aims and early history.
Aims
1. To facilitate the visibility and dissemination within UCD and Ireland of knowledge and critical debate about this vast region
2. To further UCD’s connections with Asian and Asia-Pacific research platforms in other universities in Ireland, Europe and beyond
3. To advocate for the development of UCD’s research and educational capacity in the languages, cultures, philosophies, history, arts, politics etc. of Asia and Asia-Pacific
Foundation
The precursor to APReN was established in the Autumn of 2017 at the joint initiative of the Principals of the two sister colleges of Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences and Law. The original idea was framed in August 2017 as ‘an interdisciplinary cross-College research centre in the area of Asia-Pacific Studies’.
A first, scoping meeting took place on September 11th, 2017 at the instigation of the Heads of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics and of Politics and International Relations.