Introduction – NUS Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS)

Introduction

Patron

Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Republic of Singapore

Background

The Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) was established in July 2004 as an autonomous research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The establishment of ISAS reflects the increasing economic and political importance of South Asia, and the strong historical links between South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Mission

ISAS is dedicated to research on contemporary South Asia. The Institute seeks to promote understanding of this vital region of the world, and to communicate knowledge and insights about it to policy makers, the business community, academia and civil society, in Singapore and beyond.

Logo

The ISAS logo consists of three stylised circles that are dark red and of different sizes. These circles, which are in motion, show ISAS’ pro-activeness in promoting and developing research on contemporary South Asia. The different sizes reflect the variety of perspectives and processes that underpin ISAS’ approach in highlighting the economic, political and social importance of South Asia. The colour, dark red, represents ISAS’ core values of strength, stability and vibrancy; while the grey reflects corporate identity, convention and formality. The union of these circles with ‘ISAS’ shows the Institute’s efforts to integrate its research and understanding of South Asia to the development of Singapore and the relationships between South Asia and Southeast Asia, and within South Asia itself.