Institute for East Asian Studies

In the next few years, the Institute aims to enhance its status as a leading centre for contemporary East Asian research in Europe. This aspiration is based on the long-standing international reputation the Institute has acquired in the fields of social and economic East Asia research. The focus on training the next generation of scientists and scholars will also help raise the Institute’s profile. Currently, it is aiming to create a more structured approach in the development of postdoctoral training, beyond the Research Training Group, by introducing small research groups led by postdocs and by applying an extensive mentoring scheme with the help of experienced scientists. This “fourth pillar” of the Bologna process is designed to develop highly qualified scientists for the top positions in science. Interdisciplinary cooperation in the economic and social science core disciplines will also be extended to other, non-related disciplines in order to address major future issues such as electromobility or life in the very densely populated metropolitan areas.