New Research Hub Launches to Focus on Digital Asia

Via the Berkman Center at Harvard University:

A diverse, international group of academic, civil society and private sector partners, including the Global Network of Internet and Society Research Centers (NoC), is excited to announce the formation of the Digital Asia Hub, an independent non-profit Internet and society research think tank based in Hong Kong.

Incubated by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and this broader collective, the Digital Asia Hub will provide a nonpartisan, open, and collaborative platform for research, knowledge sharing, and capacity building related to Internet and society issues with a focus on digital Asia. The Hub also aims to strengthen effective multi-stakeholder discourse, with both local and regional activities, and will contribute to – and itself serve as a node of – a larger network of academic organizations: the NoC.
[Clip]
At the core of the Digital Asia Hub is independent and interdisciplinary research exploring both the opportunities and challenges related to digital technology, innovation, and society in Asia. Initial issues the Hub may explore include digital rights, governance and infrastructure, innovation, open manufacturing, and digital trade, trending technologies and technology spaces, mobile technology and its impact on access, education, entrepreneurship, and the use of ICT for development and civic engagement.

Another goal of the Digital Asia Hub is to develop a robust community that shares a deep interest in and commitment to Internet and society research. It will facilitate local and regional approaches to shaping and embracing emerging opportunities in digital Asia, and it will initiate and support cross-cultural, sectoral, and disciplinary dialogues and collaborations.

“In addition to conducting high-quality research about key Internet and society issues in this dynamic region, the Digital Asia Hub will provide instrumental leadership and focus to strengthen local, regional, and international networks and build capacity that fosters an engaged community,” said Urs Gasser, Executive Director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School.

[Clip]

As part of this launch, the Digital Asia Hub is announcing the publication of the “The Good Life in Asia’s Digital 21st Century,” an essay collection written by students and collaborators, and will be announcing the winners of the student writing competition at today’s launch event in Hong Kong. The collection includes 26 essays from across Asia and the Pacific Islands, and covers topics ranging from The Internet of Things, to digital rights, to the impact of mobile technologies.

Direct to Digital Asia Hub

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Management and Leadership, News