The Center for Global Asia at NYU Shanghai serves as the hub within the NYU Global Network University system to promote the study of Asian interactions and comparisons, both historical and contemporary. The overall objective of the Center is to provide global societies with information on the contexts for the reemerging connections between the various parts of Asia through research and teaching. This includes exploring how the polities and societies of Asia have interacted over time and are now beginning to interact again on broad fronts. The Center also encourages the examination of Asia’s connections with the wider world, focusing specifically on how these connections have in the past and at present impact Asian societies. 

Collaborating not only with the various NYU campuses and portal sites, but also with other institutions across the world, the Center seeks to play a bridging role between existing Asian studies knowledge silos. It will take the lead in drawing connections and comparisons between the existing fields of Asian studies, and stimulating new ways of understanding Asia in a globalized world.