Institute of Asian Research


The Institute of Asian Research is a research institute founded in 1978 at the University of British Columbia as the university's focal point for Asia-related policy and current affairs as well as interdisciplinary scholarship on contemporary Asia. It houses major endowments and five research centres that cover Southeast Asia, South Asia, Korea, Japan, and China. It also houses the academic journal Pacific Affairs, which has been published continuously since 1928.
The institute was a founding partner of UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and its Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs program. It hosts over 50 events and lectures each year that bring together scholars, practitioners, and community members. Its IAR Fellows program has welcomed over 150 fellows to date.

List of affiliated faculty

C. K. Choi Building

The institute is housed in the C. K. Choi Building, a 1995 building notable for its environmentally-friendly design. It was designed by Matsuzaki Wright Architects of Vancouver as the UBC's "flagship environmental building". It features Asian architectural motifs, such as curved roofs.
The building is named after Dr. Cheung-Kok Choi, a businessman and philanthropist as well as a major donor to UBC.