The current term of the Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) Council finishes at the end of 2026. During this two-year term, we celebrated some significant milestones, with 2026 marking 50 years since the founding of the Association, the holding of its first conference, and the establishment of its journal (now known as Asian Studies Review, ASR). As the Council has gone about its work in this term, it has done so conscious of the need to learn from, reflect on, and add to the Association’s rich history.

The Work of the Council
It has been a pleasure to work with an excellent group of colleagues over the past two years:

• As Vice-President, Associate Professor Eva F. Nisa (Australian National University) oversaw the judging of many of our grants, prizes, and awards, and was a vital and greatly appreciated source of counsel and support to me as president
• The ASAA Secretary, Dr Elly Kent (Australian National University), effortlessly and collegially kept the Association on track through the last two years to meet its commitments both to members and to external partners
• During his term as Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor Dirk Tomsa (La Trobe University) oversaw unprecedented levels of submissions to ASR, which was both a testament to its standing in the field but also a significant challenge to the editorial team.
• The deft stewardship of Treasurer, Dr Jarrah Sastrawan (Australian National University) enabled the ASAA to simultaneously expand its sources and scale of fundraising while returning an increasing proportion of our income to members in through prizes, awards, and grants
• As Publications Officer, Associate Professor Yu Tao (University of Western Australia) introduced a new model for appointing series editors, linked the ASAA book series more firmly to prizes, awards, and grants, and proposed new initiatives for promoting the books that are published

The special initiatives for the 2025/26 cycle included:

• Early Career Development: Dr Soyeon Kim (Deakin University), the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Representative, spearheaded a mentoring scheme for Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates and ECRs, a dedicated catch-up for ECRs during the 2026 conference, and a targeted support scheme to facilitate ECR attendance at the ASAA conference
• Postgraduate Support: Attendance at the Postgraduate Workshop at the 2026 Biennial Conference was bolstered by additional funding for Postgraduate Conference Awards, funded in part by the Indonesia Council, Taylor & Francis, and the McKay Family Endowment
• Advocacy: the ASAA worked with colleagues from institutions were Asian Studies programs were at risk (including the University of Tasmania and the University of Technology Sydney), held a Policy Forum in August 2025, and made a formal submission to the Building Asia Capability in Australia through the Education System and Beyond inquiry, and carried this policy work forward through the BRIDGE-AsiaTE webinar series (convened by ASAA Teachers’ Representative, Dr Yeow-Tong Chia, University of Sydney)
• The Asian Currents blog published two special series designed to engage the broader membership: an Intercultural Legal Dialogue (convened by Professor Melissa Crouch, UNSW Sydney and former ASAA President), which focused on the academic experiences and expertise of scholars from Asia, and an Oral History Project, which highlighted the contributions of individuals who have played significant roles in the life of the ASAA

Prizes, Awards, and Grants
Fostering excellence in Asian Studies and maintaining a strong sense of community are central to the ASAA’s mission, and our prizes, awards, and grants serve as a primary vehicle for achieving these goals.
These schemes rely on the voluntary dedication of Council members, ASAA colleagues, and external specialists who assess submissions. In 2025 and 2026, we benefited immensely from the expertise of numerous colleagues outside the Council, and there are too many of them to recount in full here.
Instead, I think it’s fitting to focus on the impact of these awards on recipients. One awardee wrote after being told that they’d won a prize:
‘It is an indescribable feeling when a piece of work is recognised, for which one put in all one’s heart and soul… It is my utmost privilege to formally accept the award.’

Another wrote:
‘I thank the ASAA for championing rigorous, engaged, and ethically committed scholarship on Asia. It is a privilege to be part of this community, and I am deeply honoured that the Association has chosen to recognise this work.’
In 2025, the Council conferred Life Membership on two distinguished scholars, in recognition of their outstanding, sustained service to the Association and the field of Asian Studies:
A two-term ASAA President who also convened the biennial conference twice, Emeritus Professor Robert Cribb (Australian National University) is an outstanding scholar and teacher whose research spans national, disciplinary, and linguistic boundaries. Upon being told of this award, he remarked:
‘I am deeply grateful for this unexpected honour. I continue to value enormously the work that the ASAA does on so many fronts, especially in these current difficult times. I look forward to continuing my contributions to the association.’
Robert was formally presented with the award during the ASAA biennial conference in July 2026.
Emeritus Senior Professor Vera Mackie (University of Wollongong), whose scholarship traverses history, women’s studies, Asian studies, cultural studies, and peace studies, has trained generations of scholars globally through her ‘rigorous feminist scholarship’. Vera, who was President of the Japanese Studies Association of Australia (1997–99), said she was ‘very excited to hear this news’ and felt ‘deeply honoured’ to receive this award.

The Biennial Conference
The 26th ASAA Biennial Conference was held at Deakin University’s Waterfront Campus in Geelong under the theme: “Beyond Borders: Reimagining Asian societies in and across a Shifting World.”
The conference attracted just over 400 registered delegates, with the overwhelming majority attending in person.
Over half of all attendees were ECRs or HDR candidates, with 80 participating in the dedicated Postgraduate Workshop on the opening day. International scholars comprised nearly half the total attendance, with notable representation from Indonesia and China.
Highlights included:

• Professor Elora Shehabuddin (UC Berkeley, President of the Association for Asian Studies 2026–27) delivered the keynote address (‘Cultivating a Global Radical Imagination at the Grassroots: Communist Women’s Mobilization in Mid-20th-century South Asia’).
• Dr Koji Hirata (Monash University), winner of the 2024/25 Reid Prize, delivered the Reid Lecture, which was entitled ‘The Transnational Origins of Chinese Socialism’.
• The Women in Asia lecture (organised by the Women’s Forum) was held during the conference, and it was delivered by Professor Kyounghee Moon (Changwon National University) on ‘The “Comfort Women” Movement and Social Healing of Local Citizens’ Solidarity’.
• ASR Editor-in-Chief Dirk Tomsa convened a special panel featuring five current and former editors to reflect on the journal’s trajectory, and the proceedings were published in the final issue of 2026.
• The Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Yohannes Jatmiko Heru Prasetyo, attended the Opening Ceremony, with the Consulate hosting an Angklung workshop for delegates.

Our sincere thanks go to the Deakin Events Management Team, the volunteer coordinators, and many other supporters at Deakin University, as well as our commercial and academic sponsors, including Taylor & Francis, Cambridge University Press, NUS Press, Springer Nature, Wanfang Data, Lynne Rienner Publishers, and Sydney University Press.

In Memoriam
Along with celebrating achievements, the Association mourned the loss of several foundational figures in Asian Studies during this term:

• ASAA founder and former President Anthony (Tony) Reid was a widely respected historian of Southeast Asia. His landmark texts have been translated extensively into Indonesian, leaving a profound intergenerational legacy.
• Dr Adrian Buzo, a historian, diplomat, linguist, and Korean Studies pioneer, played a foundational role in establishing Korean language and area studies in Australian higher education.
• George Hicks was an independent scholar, commentator, and philanthropist who dedicated his life to exposing authoritarianism, supporting persecuted academics, and defending human rights across Asia.
• Professor Anne McLaren, an ASAA Life Member and internationally renowned scholar of Chinese oral performance traditions, print culture, and gender history, played a profound role in shaping both the ASAA and the Chinese Studies Association of Australia.
• Emeritus Professor Colin Mackerras OA FAHA was a former ASAA President (1993–94), Life Member, and pioneer of modern Australian Sinology who helped build Griffith University’s Asian studies programs from 1974 onward.

Comings and Goings on the ASAA Council
As the 2025–26 term concludes, we extend our deep gratitude to outgoing Council members for their voluntary service:

• Dr Elly Kent (Secretary) and Dr Jarrah Sastrawan (Treasurer) conclude their terms on Executive Council, while continuing engagement via the Indonesia Council.
• Associate Professor Dirk Tomsa finishes his three-year term as Editor-in-Chief of ASR, and will hand over to a new collective editorial structure.
• Natasha Naidu stepped down as Digital Officer and ASR Assistant Editor in April 2026 after three years of exceptional service.
• Dr Soyeon Kim concludes her term as ECR Representative to transition to her editorial role with ASR.
• Dr Seema Khan (West, Central, and Inner Asia), Xiaoju Liu (Library Representative), Dr Laura Dales (Women’s Forum Representative), and Postgraduate Representatives Michelle Correa and Sharpay Qiong Wu also complete their terms at the end of 2026.

Incoming ASAA Council (2027–28)
The incoming Council for 2027–28 will be led by Associate Professor Eva F. Nisa (ANU) as President. A cultural anthropologist, ARC DECRA Fellow, and leading expert in Islamic studies, Associate Professor Nisa brings deep administrative experience and international standing to the role.
Eva will be supported by an Executive Committee consisting of:

• Prof. Sharyn Davies (Monash University): Vice-President
• Dr Qiuping Pan (University of Melbourne): Secretary
• Dr Adam Zulawnik (University of Melbourne): Treasurer
• Associate Professor Yu Tao (University of Western Australia): Publications Officer
• ASR Editorial Collective (Dr Jonathan Benney, Monash; Dr Lis Kramer, UNSW, and A/Prof Yu Tao, UWA)

The new ASR collective will assume responsibilities for the journal beginning in January 2027. The team will edit the journal for a single four-year term, and the ASAA Council has recognised the effort that goes into managing the journal by committing new support to its leaders.Other notable features of the new Council include:

• The West, Central, and Inner Asia portfolio will merge with South Asia into a single portfolio – South, Central, and Western Asia – led by Dr Felix Pal (UWA)
• The Japan/Korea portfolio has been split: Dr Emma Dalton (La Trobe) will serve as Councillor for Japan, with the Korea portfolio representative to be confirmed
• Mariam Jayne Agonos (Monash University) and Amber Hammad (University of Sydney) will serve as the new Postgraduate Representatives, while an election ballot will confirm the incoming ECR Representative prior to January 2027.

The Association remains in excellent structural health. As a member-run organisation, the ASAA thrives on active engagement. We invite all members to submit ideas, participate in prize assessments, and stay connected via our newsletter and communications channels as we step into 2027.