Annualreport [2001] Foreword [Section 1 |P 3]

The IIAS and its Organization [section 1 |p 1] Annualreport [2001] Foreword [section 1 |p 3] Foreword Asia will play an important role in the 21st century, both economically In order to achieve its goals at an international level, national When it was established the IIAS was assigned the primary task of as well as politically. For the Netherlands, it is therefore important, coordination is essential. Here the IIAS plays a central role: it acts as strengthening Asian Studies, with a focus on young postdoc that there is access to information and knowledge about this region. the ‘research and development (R&D) department’ of Dutch Asian researchers. It is our experience that although a limited group of The proper knowlegde and expertise should enable us to nurture and Studies. The IIAS acts as representative of Dutch Asian Studies, and scholars is being considerably stimulated, IIAS research programmes extend our economic, academic, and cultural interests in Asia. To ensure as a postillon d’amour between foreign and Dutch Asianists. do not lead to a structural embedding within the Dutch academic and strengthen a fruitful and peaceful relationship between Asia and community. The IIAS functions, as it was originally meant, as a safety Europe in a broader perspective, it is essential to have a profound Given its national position, the IIAS has proved to be an effective net for a number of young postdocs, who find new positions after they knowledge of the developments in Asia. Academics in the humanities tool – often more so than universities and scientific institutes – by which to leave the institute, oftentimes abroad. These research programmes are and social sciences with a focus on Asia are in a position to provide us coordinate and develop activities at a national level. The establishment of limited duration, and embrace new and innovative themes. After the with this profound knowledge. The acquiring of a knowledge of society, of the Platform Asia Collections (PAC) and of the IIAS extraordinary departure of these said postdoc researchers, these themes cannot be history, and culture is not just a matter of perserving cultural heritage, chairs, the numerous applications at the national research council, developed further at universities or research schools, falling victim to it forms an integral part of modern society. It is a conglomeration of its databank, information guides and website, serve as good examples the limited amounts of funding available and having to bow to earlier factors on which economic growth and prosperity may depend. of this role. commitments made by these institutions. If the IIAS wants to intensify scientific cooperation at a national level, The international role of the Netherlands in Asian Studies should not Alongside its well-chosen academic activities, the IIAS has to focus in besides paying attention to postdoc research programmes, it will have to be underestimated. The Netherlands takes a leading position in this particular on this facilitating, coordinating function. Its financial means focus on (PhD) students as well. Future IIAS research programmes will field. The resources available there are renowned: foreign researchers after the year 2000 have also contributed to this decision: therefore preferably be carried out in close cooperation with a Dutch visit the Netherlands because of these resources and because of the “... the dual academic and facilitating roles of the IIAS should each be partner institution, and, if possible, they will involve the participation concentration of specialists here (both from the Netherlands and from maintained and strengthened. In effect, the Institute is a hybrid facility whose of research assistants (PhD students). abroad). The increasing importance of Asia in the world requires that task is to foster intellectual synergies among individuals and institutions in the Netherlands adopts an alert attitude: enlarging our knowledge ways that universities and research schools benefit from but cannot The IIAS is convinced that it has strongly stimulated Asian Studies in enables us to react to developements in Asia, and to safeguard the themselves easily initiate.” (J.J. Fox/International Committee Evaluation the Netherlands by its various activities. It is now time, however, to Netherlands’ internationally prominent position. 1999, p.2). reconsider the chosen instruments and their financial implications. The original accent on the postdocoral function of the IIAS was based None of this can be done without international cooperation. National By taking this path, the institute will be able to work more effectively upon the complementary role the institute was to play in relation to the research traditions, often based on an area-based approach, and the and show better (in)direct results, compared to a situation in which it research schools. The role these research schools play, compared to that outgrowth from a colonial past, have to be changed and placed in a would focus only on research programmes. To achieve an increase in eight years ago, has considerably increased. Now, research positions for comparative, coherent Asia-related context. This cannot be achieved academic results from its own financed research and to aim to achieve postdocs have been created at these schools as well, and the schools are by one nation alone, not with respect to the intellectual aspects, nor direct and concrete advantages for Dutch researchers (in terms of more actively involved in raising funding for research programmes. with regard to the financial implications. Decreasing budgets, and funding, job opportunities, scholarschips, and publication the growing role of the Asian continent in the political and economic programmes), the IIAS budget would need to be at least doubled. In line with these developments, in the future, the IIAS will focus on world arena, require the combining of national efforts. Cooperation at tasks which cannot or only with more difficulty be undertaken by a European and Atlantic level will considerably increase the quality of In the years 2001-2005, the IIAS will therefore continue to concentrate research schools. In other words: the IIAS will interpret its previously Dutch Asian Studies. Cooperation with Asian colleagues is an on this dual function of acting both as a facilitating and as a scientific determined instruments more flexibly. Central to this new approach is absolute precondition. institute. At an early stage the IIAS board already decided on a 40-60% the ‘network function’, which the institute assumes. The IIAS will act division between facilitating and scientific activities. In practice it is not as mediator between various partners both at a national and at an The recent introduction of the concept of a European Research Area always possible to draw a clear line between these two types of activities. international level. IIAS activities will follow up on recent developments, (ERA) by the European Commission, must be considered a very and will be less determined by long-term, fixed patterns. important first step towards enchancing and expanding collaborative In the future, when making policy related choices, the IIAS will aim for research in Europe. The ERA’s scope is obviously too euro-centred, a further integration of IIAS activities in the Dutch field of Asian The overall aim of the IIAS will remain unchanged: to stimulate but it is nevertheless a very laudable initiative that, hopefully, also will Studies. Researchers will be invited to make greater use of the research on Asia in the Netherlands, and to strengthen national and enable Asia Institutes in Europe to engage themselves in strategic possibilities offered by the institute. international cooperation. The original focus of the institute, however, research alliances. Cogently, the IIAS will try to steer its information flow even better. is being broadened: it has become clear during the IIAS’ short period of We have found that because of the enormous flow of information with existence, that Asian Studies may not be limited to humanities and The outside world considers the IIAS a window for Asian Studies in which researchers are daily bombarded, IIAS instruments like the social sciences. Asia is a global partner which is rapidly developing in Europe. Its Newsletter, research programmes, seminars, and strategically bi-monthly calendar, its Newsletter, and website, do not alway reach all ways (strategically, technologically, economically, and culturally). selected secretariats have strengthened this impression: they provide the public for whom they are intented. Besides its focus on humanities and social sciences, the institute will the Netherlands with a disproportionally large international influence. therefore also pay attention to developing activities in the interface of This position guarantees long-term access to knowledge and data from This may be partly attributable to the strong compartimentalization that these sciences and other sciences like economy, medical studies, the field. The IIAS propagates the Netherlands as a ‘centre of knowledge’: has occurred within the scientific field in the past few years. There are environment, and law. it provides greater exposure abroad for Dutch universities; a bigger various groups with separate tasks at separate locations. One group influx of paying foreign students; and better contacts in the field of focuses strongly on education and students, the research schools focus W.A.L. Stokhof, commerce and industry. mainly on PhD students, and

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