Since its founding, the Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS) at Tsinghua University has drawn on the University’s multidisciplinary strengths to focus on developing countries and regions, while steadily advancing the field of area studies. Over time, the Institute has developed a distinctive approach grounded in fieldwork and driven by interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to China’s global engagement and to broader scholarly dialogue.
Today, area studies stands at a pivotal moment. Building an independent Chinese knowledge system calls for theoretical work with broad explanatory power, as well as rigorous and open-minded scholarship that presents nuanced and authentic accounts of China and other regions. Our work should be rooted in a China-based perspective, informed by a global outlook, and attentive to the viewpoints of the societies we study—while remaining closely engaged with the frontiers of international scholarship and contributing to the pursuit of a shared future for humanity.
Rooted in China and looking to the world, we are committed to sustained, in-depth fieldwork—going beyond the surface to engage with the realities on the ground. In this spirit, IIAS seeks to work closely with colleagues around the world, advancing high-quality research and cultivating outstanding talent. We believe in the joint development of scholars and scholarship, in balancing intellectual inquiry with a sense of purpose, and in contributing to a deeper understanding of our world, to meaningful exchange among civilisations, and to our shared future.
Jiang Jingkui
Dean of IIAS
Since its founding, the Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS) at Tsinghua University has drawn on the University’s multidisciplinary strengths to focus on developing countries and regions, while steadily advancing the field of area studies. Over time, the Institute has developed a distinctive approach grounded in fieldwork and driven by interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to China’s global engagement and to broader scholarly dialogue.
Today, area studies stands at a pivotal moment. Building an independent Chinese knowledge system calls for theoretical work with broad explanatory power, as well as rigorous and open-minded scholarship that presents nuanced and authentic accounts of China and other regions. Our work should be rooted in a China-based perspective, informed by a global outlook, and attentive to the viewpoints of the societies we study—while remaining closely engaged with the frontiers of international scholarship and contributing to the pursuit of a shared future for humanity.
Rooted in China and looking to the world, we are committed to sustained, in-depth fieldwork—going beyond the surface to engage with the realities on the ground. In this spirit, IIAS seeks to work closely with colleagues around the world, advancing high-quality research and cultivating outstanding talent. We believe in the joint development of scholars and scholarship, in balancing intellectual inquiry with a sense of purpose, and in contributing to a deeper understanding of our world, to meaningful exchange among civilisations, and to our shared future.
Jiang Jingkui
Dean of IIAS
