Our Programs at a Glance

Since 1997 Asia Society Australia has been building a deeper understanding of Asia in Australia, connecting Australian and the region’s leaders and enriching public debate about Asia.

Our programs are recognised for insights and content of the highest quality, high-profile of speakers and an unprecedented access to business, political and thought leaders from Asia, Australia and the United States. 

Programs

Leaders on Asia

Leaders on Asia presents high-profile events with visiting heads of state, ministers, senior officials, dignitaries and leading thinkers from the Indo-Pacific region and Australia. It provides members with a unique direct access to leaders who shape the present and future of our region.

Since 1997 Asia Society Australia has hosted 19 heads of state from Asia and Australia.

Executive Briefings

Executive Briefings are a curated series of meetings presented by diplomats, business leaders and subject matter experts from Asia and Australia. Designed to offer a deep dive into the critical issues of the day, to an audience of senior executives from the business, political, educational and cultural institutions that make up the Asia Society network. Our Executive Briefings are generally by invitation only and held in a Boardroom setting. 

Asia Briefing LIVE

Asia Briefing LIVE is Asia Society Australia's signature event - an annual executive forum taking the pulse of the major developments in Asia and the state of Australia’s engagement with the region.

Building on the success of our public newsletter, Briefing MONTHLY, Asia Society Australia brings together 100 senior business leaders and policymakers for an in-depth discussion of geopolitical and business landscape in Asia and Australia’s relations in the region, against the backdrop of global economic and strategic uncertainty.

Sign up to receive Briefing MONTHLY, edited by Greg Earl, an award-winning author, journalist and editor and a board member of the Australia-ASEAN Council.

Forecast Asia

Forecast Asia – presented across the Asia Society’s global network – offers assessments and interpretations of trends and developments in Asia by leading economists, business, political and social thinkers and visionaries.

Arts, Culture and Diversity

Arts, Culture and Diversity spans across visual art and performance, literature, media, technology, education, and community sectors. These events examine cultural traditions and expressions, celebrate diversity and multiculturalism, and explore a changing Australian society. Run as both public and member only events, this programming stream offers an exciting way to engage with the work of Asia Society Australia.

Global Initiatives

Global Initiatives brings together the best of our 15 centres to Australia. Convened as both stand-alone events and ongoing collaborations, Asia Society Australia combines global reach with local networks to deliver an international portfolio of programs.

GEN A

Generation Asia (GEN A) is a learning, networking and leadership development platform for young professionals (under 35) from our member organisations, enriching their understanding of Asia and Australia’s relations with the region. It aims to give our young leaders access to leading business, policy, trade, diversity and cultural thinkers on Asia, through a series of masterclasses that draw on their industry and personal experience working with and in Asia. GEN A participants also have the opportunity to attend regular Asia Society events over the course of the year. GEN A participants are nominated by their respective member organisations. 

Research and publications 

Briefing MONTHLY

Briefing MONTHLY is a public update with news and original analysis on Asia and Australia-Asia relations. As Australia debates its future in Asia, and the Australian media footprint in Asia continues to shrink, it is an opportune time to offer Australians at the forefront of Australia’s engagement with Asia a professionally edited, succinct and authoritative curation of the most relevant content on Asia and Australia-Asia relations. Focused on business, geopolitics, education and culture, Briefing MONTHLY is distinctly Australian and internationalist, highlighting trends, deals, visits, stories and events in our region that matter.

Briefing MONTHLY now has an audio arm. Our new podcast channel Asia Briefing Unwired debuts with a special podcast series on the elections in India and Indonesia.

Briefing MONTHLY also comes to life with our annual executive forum Asia Briefing LIVE.

Disruptive Asia

Disruptive Asia is a thought-leadership project by Asia Society Australia launched in 2017. It presents – through long-form essays – new perspectives and policy recommendations on how Asia’s rise is impacting Australia’s foreign policy, economy and society and how Australia should respond. Disruptive Asia deliberately looks at both external aspects of Australia’s relationship with Asia (foreign policy, business connectivity, international education) and their domestic implications and manifestations (community relations, leadership diversity, education settings and capabilities).

The Asia debate has long ceased to be an exclusive intellectual domain of foreign policy and business elite. Asia’s ascendancy and the resulting geopolitical, geoeconomic, demographic and social shifts affect virtually all facets of Australian life. Disruptive Asia is a humble attempt to re-start the conversation about the impact of Asia on Australia and our place in the region, and broaden, deepen and bring together the community of those who debate these issues.

See also - 'Connecting Australia and Indonesia' report (2015) offers two distinct viewpoints on the current state and prospects for the Australia-Indonesia relationship from two of Australia’s leading Indonesia observers and practitioners, Richard Woolcott AC, Former Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Andrew Parker, Head of Asia Practice at PwC.