NYU Shanghai’s Center for Global Asia (CGA) recently announced that it has, through NYU, received a grant from the Henry Luce foundation. The grant will support a three-year (2026–2029) initiative to strengthen research, training, and curriculum development in Global Asian Studies, anchored by the creation of a “hub” based at NYU Shanghai.
According to CGA Director Tansen Sen, the grant aligns closely with the center’s long-term mission. “CGA’s major contribution is that we are developing this field of global Asian studies in Asia,” Sen said, adding that the award will support “building a hub” that brings together scholars in Shanghai with international collaborators to advance research and exchange in Global Asian Studies.
The grant-backed work has three interconnected components, Sen explained. The first is collaborative research development. With research funding limited in many parts of Asia, the project will provide support for Asia-based scholars to pursue joint research with partners abroad. Sen described this as an effort “to develop research potentials in Asian studies in Asia,” with mechanisms that encourage cross-regional collaboration and new research partnerships.
The second component is capacity building for young scholars, including postdoctoral and early-career researchers. As part of this broader effort, CGA has recently renewed its collaboration with the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) to host a postdoctoral fellow in China Studies. Sen noted that supporting postdoctoral fellows is a key approach to capacity building: by engaging with CGA’s programming and connecting with peers, fellows can help strengthen scholarly networks within China and across Asia.
The third component is curriculum development, designed to translate research and training outcomes into teaching resources and learning opportunities. According to Sen, the goal is to integrate the project’s collaborative research and capacity-building activities into curricula, reinforcing CGA’s core priorities in a sustained way over the next three years.
"We are honored that the Henry Luce Foundation has recognized our role in bridging scholarly communities," said Provost Bei Wu. "This grant allows us to deepen our impact by creating a hub that supports joint research between Asia-based scholars and international partners. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Center for Global Asia, this initiative ensures we continue to build scholarly networks that connect China and Asia with the global academic community."
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Center for Global Asia, which was established in 2015. The center is marking the milestone through a series of symposiums and events, including a capacity-building workshop held last November in collaboration with the Harvard-Yenching Institute focused on Indian studies in China, the upcoming 7th Young Scholars Symposium: Multicentrality across Asia and Beyond, which will be held on April 2-4, and a training program on Technological Innovation and Cultural Integration in the Indian Ocean World planned for June.