10 Mar 2007

The Icelandic Centre for Asian Studies /Asiuver Islands (ASIS)
The University of Akureyri, Akureyri, Iceland
Self-description: "The Icelandic Centre for Asian Studies was formally founded on 16 December 2005 by the University of Akureyri and the University of Iceland. As the name of the Centre suggests, its role is to initiate and coordinate research and education concerning the Asian region. Until the foundation of ASIS, there has been no particular venue to conduct Asian research and studies in Iceland, which has had the unfortunate consequence that the region has gained scarce attention by Iceland-based scholars. A seminal task of ASIS is to change this fact. [...] In June 2007, the Centre will organize a conference on Asia-related gender issues in collaboration with Gendering Asia, a Scandinavian based organization ["Gendering Asia Network Conference, Iceland, 1-3 June 2007", details at http://www.genderingasia2007.niasconferences.dk/ - ed.] Anticipated is also a workshop with the Icelandic business community on the unexplored opportunities in Asia for Icelanders as well as Asian opportunities in Iceland. [...] The contact person at the Icelandic Centre for Asian Studies is Geir Sigurdsson, Director. E-mail: geirs--at--unak.is"
Supplied note: "The two Icelandic state universities, University of Iceland and University of Akureyri, have only recently launched degree programmes in Asian studies. Japanese studies has been taught as a minor at the University of Iceland for 3 years, and a joint programme in Chinese studies will start at both universities in the coming [i.e. 2007 - ed.] fall. Launching entirely new degree programmes obviously involves a lot of complex problems. However, one of the most pressing ones is to satisfy the demand for an appropriate and adequate selection of literary sources. Until very recently, very little material belonging to the field of Asian studies was purchased at the libraries, which therefore suffer from a rather embarrassing scarcity of basic sources in Asian studies. If there are libraries out there eager to get rid of room-taking duplicate books in the field, the Icelandic libraries would be happy to provide them with a permanent home. While the focus is presently on East-Asia, material on other parts of Asia, especially SE-Asia and S-Asia would be most appreciated. I would also be grateful for any other tips or suggestions as to how to effectively furnish our libraries. - Geir Sigurdsson, PhD, Director, Icelandic Centre of Asian Studies, University of Akureyri, Iceland."
[A site largely in Islandic, with occasional glosses in English - ed.]
URL http://vefir.unak.is/kinverska/
Internet Archive (www.archive.org) - [the site was not archived at the time of this abstract - ed.]
Link reported by: Geir Sigurdsson (geirsi13--at--hotmail.com), forwarded by h-asia--at--h-net.msu.edu
* Resource type [news/comments - documents - study - corporate info. - online guide]: Corporate Info.
* Publisher [academic - business - govt. - library/museum - NGO - other]: Academic
* Scholarly usefulness [essential - v.useful - useful - interesting - marginal]: Useful
* External links to the resource [over 3,000 - under 3,000 - under 1,000 - under 300 - under 100 - under 30]: under 30