With the theme of “Exploring Asian Connectivities: Topics, Methods, and Implications”, the first GAS joint workshop with CLASS/CoHASS in NTU Singapore was held in-person at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. It was aimed at exchanging scholarly knowledge and research experience on global Asian studies as well as discussing the possibilities of research collaboration in both individual and institutional levels.

As the notion “Global Asian Studies” (GAS) was influenced by the objective of Global Asia Research Cluster at CoHASS(College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences) in NTU Singapore, this joint workshop was a meaningful first step for GAS program to start intellectual conversations and networking with our new initiative of global Asian studies.

After welcome remarks by associate professor Joyce Pang at CoHASS and opening remarks by professor Shigeto Sonoda from IASA, four thematic sessions followed: “Asian Perspectives on Global Mobility”, “Historical and Cultural Narratives in Intra-Regional Dialogue”, “Representations and Expressions of Chinese Philosophy”, and “Health, Well-being, and Medicine in Asia.” From these multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary talks across humanities and social sciences, the workshop opened a space to rediscover the locality as well as interlocality of global Asian studies and their diverse academic practices.

The participants from IASA could also have a full day of connectivity with a very warm hospitality by Centre for Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) and CoHASS in NTU Singapore. A very intensive day-long workshop left a next task to continue collaborative works and the anticipation for the second joint workshop in the near future.