Asia-Pacific Studies (APS)

Welcome!

Asia-Pacific Studies is an interdisciplinary, regional research field inaugurated in 2001 at the Renvall Institute of the University of Helsinki. Primarily it targets Pacific Asia (East and Southeast Asia) - the core of the Pacific economic region generally known as the Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific Studies analyses the processes of change in the region from a comparative, holistic perspective. Its methodological approaches are mainly those of humanities and social sciences. It typically examines history, societal issues, integration, international relations, developmental problems as well as contemporary cultures of the region.

As an academic subject, Asia-Pacific Studies offers a minor consisting of basic and intermediate studies. All students enrolled at the University of Helsinki are entitled to take Asia-Pacific Studies as their minor. After the new degree structure was launched as of 1 August 2005, students can (with some restrictions) apply to take Asia-Pacific Studies as their major in their Bachelor of Arts degree. After completing the Bachelor’s degree in Asia-Pacific Studies, students have the right to continue their studies towards a Master’s degree in East Asian Studies at the Institute for Asian and African Studies, University of Helsinki.

Asia-Pacific Studies co-operates with several departments of the University, including the Institute of Development Studies as well as Departments of Comparative Religion, Geography, History, and Sociology, in addition to the Institute for Asian and African Studies. Regular contact is maintained with several other universities in the capital region regarding planning joint teaching and research activities. Asia-Pacific Studies Researcher Network, which consists of postgraduate students and post-doctoral scholars of various disciplines, has since 2003 regularly met at the Renvall Institute. Many of its members are active in international projects of research and expertise.

For more about the background and institutional environment of the programme, see:
Finnish Encounters with Asia
Responding to Asia-Pacific Dynamism Key features of Asia-Pacific Studies
University of Helsinki and Renvall Institute

News and events

Teaching in autumn 2009

Teaching in spring 2010

Aps Forum

Sino-US Catholic Marriage
Matti Nojonen, Programme Director at Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Thu 26.11.2009, at 3 pm, Renvall Institute, (Unioninkatu 38A), Russian room A109


More info

Coming events

Address: Asia-Pacific Studies Programme, Renvall-Institute, P.O.Box 59, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland