The Program for International Studies in Asia (PISA) aims to build a community of scholars, officials, policy analysts, and citizens who can conduct an informed dialogue on the central issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region. PISA engages with individuals who can participate constructively in the region's emerging regimes and who can help develop a common vocabulary for analyzing international problems and to reach a common understanding of those issues.  We emphasize human resource development by organizing training progrms and by assisting in curriculum development and program development for the region's leading institutions.

Introduction

The End of the Cold War precipitated changes for Asian nations in their prospects for economic development, their political agendas and ideologies, and their international relations. While these changes are occurring in differing ways and at different speeds, the common impetus is unprecedented economic growth, multiplication of trade, investment linkages across the region, and the desire to maintain the stable and secure environment on which economic growth depends.

As countries become increasingly interdependent, they create new international regimes to promote economic cooperation, reduce economic barriers to trade and investment, preserve stability, and address emerging transnational issues such as migration, crime and environmental concerns. The need for informed participants in these new international forums calls for a rapid development of the region's human resources in the field of international affairs and improvement of the region's existing training programs.

The Program for International Studies in Asia (PISA) aims to build a community of scholars, officials, policy analysts, and informed citizens who can conduct an informed dialogue on the central issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region, and who can participate constructively in the region's emerging regimes such as APEC, PECC, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and CSCAP. Developing a common vocabulary for analyzing international problems, and reaching common understanding of those issues are PISA's paramount objectives. Consequently, PISA emphasizes human resource development by organizing training programs and by assisting in curriculum and program development for the region's leading institutions.

PISA and its affiliated institutions in China, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, and Mongolia are spearheading efforts to enlist scholars, policy makers, and concerned citizens eager to promote international studies and to engage Asian leaders in cooperative efforts to secure peace and economic development for the 21st century.