The Asia Institute is the home of studies in Asian languages and societies. Our academics are at the forefront of research into the intellectual, legal, politico-economic, cultural and religious traditions, and transformations of Asia and the Islamic world.
Looking for current student resources? We're centralising important information for Arts students to one location: Faculty of Arts Current Students.
Melbourne Asia Review
Melbourne Asia Review is the Asia Institute’s quarterly online journal, which publishes insight and commentary on Asia and the Islamic world by our researchers, students, and international academic collaborators in English, Hindi, Japanese and Mandarin.
Explore our latest news, podcasts and events
Study languages and cultures from across the Asian continent
Our disciplines span from the Middle East to East and South East Asia.
Placement testing and accreditation exams
Learn more about language placement tests for current students or Language Other Than English (LOTE) accreditation exams for prospective teachers.
Learn about our research centres, hubs and units
Our people
Prof Andrew Rosser
Dr Craig Smith
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Asian Studies
The countries of Asia are Australia’s largest trading partners and are of vital importance to Australia’s economic growth and security. For Australians, Asia increasingly defines who we are and our place in the world.
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Arabic Studies
Arabic is the fifth most commonly spoken native language in the world, with about 230 million people speaking it as their first language. Arabic studies students at the Asia Institute will learn not only about reading, writing and speaking in Arabic, but also living and interacting in the ‘Arab way’.
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Chinese Studies
China is a ‘rising power’ in the Western Pacific region whose future importance for Australia is hard to over-estimate. China’s current levels of investment in research and development and in the tertiary sector indicate that China is poised to make a very rapid transition to a ‘knowledge economy’.
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Indonesian language and studies
Indonesia’s geographic proximity and strategic importance to Australia make it vital to understand its peoples, politics, history, languages and cultures.
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Islamic Studies
The Islamic studies program at the University of Melbourne provides students with the opportunity to study the development of Islamic thought and Muslim societies from a broad multidisciplinary perspective.
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Japanese Studies
The study of Japanese language and culture offers the individual new insights into a deep and diverse culture, and also provides important contrasts when considering the role of various nations in the Asia Pacific region.
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Korean Studies
Studying the Korean language alongside its contemporary history, culture, politics, economy, and society offers students a deeper insight into the key issues shaping the Korean Peninsula and its neighbouring regions.
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Translation and Interpreting Studies
The Master of Translation and Interpreting at the University will give you comprehensive theoretical, practical and academic training to prepare you for your career across Chinese and English-speaking worlds.
Featured content
Director's welcome
Welcome to the Asia Institute, the University of Melbourne’s key centre for studies in Asian societies, languages and cultures.
The Institute is committed to deepening understanding of Asia and the Islamic world as well as Australia’s multiple connections to these regions.
Our teaching programs offer students the opportunity to study languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, and Korean and the cultures and societies in which these languages are spoken.
They also offer an opportunity for students to study Asia in a global and comparative context, by exploring how the region is being shaped by global processes and facing common challenges in distinctive ways.
Our research tackles issues of pressing political, social and cultural importance such as democracy, human rights, cultural change, migration, diaspora, gender relations, security, religion, nationalism, language, translation, and corruption—all topics that also feature in our teaching program.
We have a growing interest in the experiences of Asian Australians—particularly, with regards to representation, racism, and social inclusion—and how Asian Australians respond to such challenges.
Our engagement activities include regular seminars and workshops, webinars, media contributions, community-facing events, publication of Melbourne Asia Review, and the Ear to Asia podcast.
We believe that a nuanced appreciation of Asia’s complexities is vital in our interconnected world and given Australia’s myriad connections to the region. We also believe that diversity, inclusion, and openness to a range of ideas can aid mutual understanding, problem-solving, and well-being.
Whether you are a prospective student, a researcher, or a community member, I encourage you to explore how the Asia Institute can enrich your intellectual journey and broaden your global perspective.
Thank you for your interest in our work. I look forward to the possibilities that our shared curiosity and collaboration can bring.
Warm regards
Staff directories
Our graduate researchers
Our graduate researchers are working on a variety of research projects in the Asia Institute. Learn more about their work and their areas of expertise.
Meet our graduate researchersThe Asia Institute brings together researchers across a range of disciplines, creating a depth and breadth of expertise on Asia and the Islamic world.
Research centres, hubs and units
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Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies (CCCS)
CCCS plays a vital role in shaping an Australian approach to the study of contemporary China.
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National Centre for Contemporary Islamic Studies (NCCIS)
NCCIS provides outstanding higher education level programs in Islamic studies.
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Global Korea Research Hub
The Global Korea Research Hub is about increasing stability, security, literacy and careers between Australia and South Korea, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Explore our research clusters and projects
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Asian Civil Society
This research cluster employs an interdisciplinary approach to analyse the dynamically expanding role of civil society in contemporary Asia.
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Asian Governance Transformations
How is governance in Asia changing? What is driving change and how is it being contested? What are the implications for human rights, democracy, social welfare, and foreign relations?
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Gender, Environment and Migration
Researchers in this cluster investigate migration in Asia and Australia from gender, environmental, and policy perspectives.
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Language Dynamics in the Asia Pacific
This research cluster explores the diverse languages of the Asia-Pacific region – their structures, use in context, roles within society, and how they are taught and acquired.
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Islam and Politics in Contemporary Asia and the Middle East
This research cluster investigates how Islam plays a significant role in affecting political and social change today.
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Research projects
Asia Institute’s research projects involve aspects of four target areas (Arabic and Islamic Studies, China, Indonesia, Japan) and also Australia’s relationship to Asia.