• Asialink Events
  • 2012 Asialink Highlights
  • Recent Events
  • Asialink Singapore Chapter Launched
• Media
  • Media Releases
  • Australia in the Asian Century
  • Jenny McGregor wins 2013 U21 Award for Internationalisation
  • Prime Minister's visit to China - The Key Outcomes
  • DFAT submission calls for multi-faceted partnerships with countries of Asia
• Publications
  • The Asialink Essays
  • White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century - Asialink Submission
  • PwC Melbourne Institute Asialink Index
  • PwC Melbourne Institute Asialink Index ANZ Services Report
  • Trading with China: The rise of offshore renminbi business - ANZ Asia Society RMB Handbook
  • Asialink and Australian Industry Group Survey
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• About Us
  • Asialink Staff
  • The Asialink Board
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About Us

Asialink is Australia’s leading centre for the promotion of public understanding of the countries of Asia and of Australia’s role in the region. The organisation is a key provider of information, training and professional networks.  Asialink is an affiliate of The University of Melbourne and an initiative of the Myer Foundation.  Mission Asialink’s mission is to build an Asia capable, deeply Asia-engaged Australia through knowledge, skills and partnerships. Reach Asialink excels in “soft diplomacy” - delivering high-level forums, international collaborations, leadership training, education, community health and cultural programs in Australia and Asia. Keep up to date with the latest news from Asialink - Subscribe to the Access Asialink E-Newsletter

• Asialink Staff
• The Asialink Board
• Asialink Patrons and Partners
• The Asialink Advisory Council
  
• Corporate Members
  

20 Years of Asialink

Programs

	High level events, forums and briefings   Asialink organises public events, national and international forums, and members briefings on contemporary Australia-Asia issues. View event calendar
	Research and Analysis Asialink provides intelligence on key issues facing Australia and the Asian region. Access the Asialink Essays   |   Access the 2012 Index
	Education Asialink’s Asia Education Foundation is Australia's leading organisation dedicated to advocating and supporting the study of Asia and Asian languages in Australian primary and secondary schools.
	Leadership The Asialink Leaders Program is building a regional network of emerging leaders from all sectors with the skills to exercise vision in this, the Asian Century.
	Asialink Arts Asialink Arts initiates and nurtures cultural and artistic exchange through artist residencies, touring exhibitions, writers’ tours and exchange projects. View Exhibitions
	Community Health Asia-Australia Mental Health is a consortium of St Vincent’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne’s Department of Psychiatry and Asialink. The program works across 16 countries in the Asia-Pacific developing partnerships in community mental health service delivery.

History

The Asialink Centre was established in 1990 as a joint initiative of the Australian Government's Commission for the Future and the Myer Foundation, one of Australia's oldest and largest philanthropic organisations.

Asialink's mission was to create a new generation of Australians who are knowledgeable about the countries of Asia and who understand more fully what we can learn from our neighbours and what we can contribute to the region in which we live. Following a series of search conferences with experts from around Australia, Asialink developed programs in education, the arts, business and community awareness; with education being its first priority.

Following the announcement of the privatisation of the Commission for the Future, Asialink sought a university partner and, in July 1991, became a centre of The University of Melbourne under an agreement between the Myer Foundation and the University. Asialink was administered from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, with an Advisory Board chaired by the late Kenneth Myer AC and an Executive chaired by Professor Kwong Lee Dow. In 1998 Asialink became a non-academic department of The University of Melbourne, along with the Melbourne Theatre Company and the Ian Potter Museum of Art.

In 2001 a $2 million grant from the Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration allowed Asialink to move to the purpose built Sidney Myer Asia Centre which it shares with the University’s Asia Institute.

Location

Asialink is headquartered at The University of Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Asia Centre (building 158, see map).  The state-of-the-art facilities have hosted a wide range of eminent speakers and international conferences. The Centre is considered one of Melbourne's world class venues for debate and discussion.

The Sidney Myer Asia Centre is a purpose-built facility to house Asialink and the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute. 

The Sidney Myer Asia Centre was designed by Bob Nation of Nation Fender Katsalidis. In June 2002, the centre was opened by The Hon. Alexander Downer MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs. It comprises the 500-seat Carrillo Gantner Theatre, the Yasuko Hiraoka Myer Room and five storeys of teaching and learning, research and academic office space.

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