Page 5 - AEI Postgraduate Handbook 2018-2019

About AEI

The Asia-Europe Institute has successfully established itself as one of the
Southeast Asia’s leading institution for social science postgraduate research and
teaching. Established under the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) process with a philosophy
of enhancing Asia-Europe relations, AEI aims to foster exchange of students and scholars
with a view to develop a better understanding of the cultures, histories, politics,
institutions, economics, business and legal practices of both regions. The origins of AEI
can be traced back to the idea of establishing closer higher education linkages between
Asia and Europe under the provisions of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) initiative in
1996.

In 1997, the Government of Malaysia established the Asia-Europe Centre (AEC),
the first step of Asia-Europe University cooperation in education designed to support
the Fourth Pillar of the ASEM process. Three years after its inception, on 2nd January
2000, the AEC was transformed into a full-fledged academic institution. It was renamed
Asia-Europe Institute (AEI) and hosted by University of Malaya, the oldest university in
Malaysia. Over the years, the AEI has received staunch support from the Government of
Malaysia, working in partnership with other ASEM countries. It reflects Malaysia’s
commitment to internationalising higher education and advancing the idea of AEI as an
‘educational infrastructure and knowledge of network for Asia and Europe in the
twenty-first century’.

AEI aims to be the place where intellectual discourses are held. Key issues on
intensifying globalization and regionalisation environment, international business,
innovation and technologies and inter regional relations Asia and Europe are discussed.
Further, AEI promotes collaborative research with academic as well as government and
private sector institutions. Our research pillars and range of international postgraduate
courses indicate the breadth and quality of expertise that AEI brings to bear. As such,
our postgraduate students are central to the realisation of a collaborative and
innovative education hub for the future.

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