In a move to enhance research about Asia, Harvard opened the Asia Center on July 1, 1997.

Although Harvard has numerous programs and institutes which promote research about Asia, most are focused on a single region. In contrast, the new center fosters research on international relations in Asia and comparative studies of Asian nations, according to Ezra F. Vogel, Ford professor of the social sciences and director of both the Asia Center and the Fairbank Center for East Asia Research.

The center is meant to complement rather than replace Harvard's existing Asia related programs and institutes by bringing together researchers from the University's other programs.

"We felt that we needed more coordination within Harvard between the various professional schools and centers concerned with Asia," Vogel said.

"[The] center is concerned about the issues that link Asia as a whole," he added.

Vogel also noted that the center was established to increase research on South and Southeast Asia.

"[The center] was set up because we had really little on South and Southeast Asia and we felt that we needed to expand in those areas," Vogel said.

The center will provide a number of programs including forums, seminars, lecture series, workshops and conferences as well as grants for research in Asia.

A major component of the University's Capital Campaign, the center has collected pledges totaling "somewhat over half" of its $100 million goal, Vogel said.

Part of this money will be used to create an endowment. The funds will also be used for the center's programs as well as to support Faculty positions, fellowships, internships and visiting professorships.