Renamed in 2024 as the ASEAN and Indo-Pacific Studies Initiative (AIPSI), American University’s initiative continues to engage faculty, students, and the broader D.C. community interested in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific. The renaming reflects a broader geographic scope, recognizing the growing strategic and economic significance of the Indo-Pacific region in global affairs. Originally launched as the ASEAN Studies Initiative (ASI) on July 14, 2009, at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, by AU’s Dean of the School of International Service, Professor Louis Goodman, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, AIPSI expands upon ASI’s foundations while embracing the Indo-Pacific as a critical area of study. As part of AU’s School of International Service—the largest and one of the oldest schools of international relations in the United States—AIPSI continues to foster leadership and expertise in a region vital to global governance and diplomacy.
OBJECTIVE & ACTIVITIES
The ASEAN and Indo-Pacific Studies Initiative (AIPSI) has the following objectives:
- Organize seminars, conferences, and training to advance knowledge of ASEAN and Indo-Pacific affairs for academic and policy communities.
- Engage American University students through courses, internships, study abroad programs, and fieldwork in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
- Build partnerships with institutions in the U.S., Southeast Asia, and the Indo-Pacific for collaborative activities and research.
- Conduct research on ASEAN and Indo-Pacific economic, political, security, and socio-cultural dynamics, including their relations with major global powers.
AIPSI collaborates with the ASEAN Secretariat, U.S. government agencies, think tanks, and institutions in Southeast Asia and beyond.
THE TEAM
