Due to the spread of COVID-19, the 2019-20 academic year has been a distressing period for students, faculty, and researchers around the world. The Center for Global Asia has been no exception. After an active fall semester in 2019, beginning with the Center’s flagship Annual Conference in late August, all events scheduled for the spring 2020 semester and the summer were cancelled. It is unlikely that any in-person event will take place during the fall 2020 semester either. However, despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic, the Center has continued to be productive in its academic work. It has been editing two journals, The Journal of the Indian Ocean World Studies and Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Asian Interactions; continued research activities related to the Henry Luce project on “Port Cities Environments in Global Asia”; and it has added to the database projects on “Asian Studies in China” and “China-India Studies.”

The past academic year also saw the arrival of new staff members at the Center. Professor Celina Hung joined us as the Associate Director, Li Minghui as the Administrator and Li Haozhe as the Associate. I welcome all of them to the Center.

During the fall 2020 semester the Center plans to start several webinar series, including one on Mongol history in collaboration with NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi, and a monthly lecture series on Global Asia. It will also organize the second Port Cities Workshop, albeit as an online forum. Additionally, as part of the Henry Luce project, the Center will be involved in creating teaching modules for courses on Global Asia topics, starting with one on the Mongols in World History. As with other institutions around the world, the Center for Global Asia will adjust to the new circumstances and forge ahead with its activities and research agenda. The Center intends to be globally engaged and will continue to foster knowledge about Asia among faculty members and students at NYU Shanghai. 

Please stay safe and well.