Visiting Scholars

As part of its mission to promote intra- and inter-Asian research, the Asia Center invites applications from scholars whose projects engage meaningfully with two or more countries in East, South, or Southeast Asia to become Asia Center Visiting Scholars. Scholars whose research focuses on individual countries will be considered only if their topics relate to Southeast Asia.

Term

The minimum length of affiliation is three months; the maximum is one year with the possibility of renewal. Part-time appointments or non-consecutive appointments for a fraction of a year will ordinarily count as a one-year appointment when determining eligibility for renewal. 

Appointments generally run from September 1 to August 31.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. (or its equivalent), maintain a current appointment at an academic institution (typically as a tenured or tenure-track faculty member on paid leave from another scholarly post), and demonstrate sufficient English fluency to actively engage with and contribute to the Asia Center's scholarly community.

Conditions of affiliation

• Must be sponsored by a current Harvard junior or senior faculty member (please refer to the Asia Center Affiliate Faculty Sponsor Acknowledgement Form for details on sponsor responsibilities).
• Participate regularly in Asia Center's scholarly life and programs, which include lectures, seminars, and conferences throughout the academic year.
• Give a talk or prepare a paper on their research during the appointment.

Services provided by the Asia Center

Harvard ID card that provides library privileges; Harvard e-mail address; J-1 visa sponsorship; limited staff support; access to a shared printer and copier; a desk in a shared office (dependent on availability).

Please note that the appointment is unpaid. Scholars are responsible for providing their funding and arranging their living accommodations.

Application Procedure

To complete your application, please ensure the following documents are submitted by the deadline: 

Asia Center Application for Affiliation
Research proposal (2–3 pages) detailing what the applicant plans to accomplish during the appointment.
An up-to-date CV. 

The following three documents must be sent directly by the faculty sponsor to Tenzin Ngodup:
Letter of support from the faculty sponsor.
Asia Center Affiliate Faculty Sponsor Acknowledgement Form.
Certification of English Language Proficiency (for international scholars).

Application Deadline

Friday, February 28, 2025