Peace and Human Security in Asia

The first PASHA Southeast Asia Short-term Study Program took place from 16–31 March 2012 at the Southeast Asian Institute of Global Studies, Payap University, Thailand. 16 graduate students from partner universities in Japan attended the program. Located in the north of Thailand, Payap University was able to offer unique expertise in particular areas of study. Students attended classroom lectures that focused on the human security issues in the border areas of Myanmar and Laos. Study trips to refugee camps were undertaken, and students were able to gain new perspectives on human security issues from a first-person perspective. In the wake of the program, some students applied to study at Payap University for semester programs.

Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, played host to the third PAHSA short-term study program from 06–19 September 2012. Students from partner universities attended the international symposium “Strengthening Peace and Human Security in Asia. In addition to the special symposium, there were also additional lectures and field trips organized by Syiah Kuala University where students could learn about the particular human security issues faced locally.

• Read the student essays from the Aceh program

As part of the PAHSA program, the Pannasastra University of Cambodia (PUC) hosted a one-week short-term study program, 7-16 March 2013, on peace and human security with a special focus on health in Cambodia. There were classroom lectures and also study trips to places of interest. Students were able to gain new perspectives from the visits and through speaking to people involved in activities on the ground. Click on the link for some of the reports written by PAHSA students on the program.

• Read the student essays from the Cambodia program
• Read an immersive story told by the students who attended the program

The Manila Short-Term Study Program, “Challenges to Human Security in Asia,” was hosted by De La Salle University from 15-28 September 2013. The Manila program offered students an excellent opportunity to learn comprehensively about the many critical issues that affect peace and human security in Asia, from development, health, environmental issues to peace-building efforts in Mindanao, one of the longest-standing conflict and peace processes in the region. There were lectures as well as fieldtrips and also a two-day international conference, “Rethinking Human Security in the Asian Century” that brought together additional experts and specialists from other parts of Asia to Manila.

• Watch a short video made by students on the Manila Program

The Chiang Mai Short-Term Study Program took place on 17-27 September 2014 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It offered students an excellent opportunity to learn comprehensively about some of the critical issues that affect peace and human security in Asia. There were lectures as well as fieldtrips and also the two-day international conference, “An Agenda for Asia: Human Security, Conflict Management, Security Sector Reform and Local Democratization,” organized by the Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA) that brought together additional experts and specialists from other parts of Asia to Chiang Mai.

• Read an immersive story told by the students who attended the program

The PAHSA Cambodia II Short Study Program took place from 13-24 September 2015 at Pannasastra University of Cambodia (PUC). The focus of the program was poverty alleviation.

Students were offered a unique opportunity to learn comprehensively about some of the critical issues that affect peace and human security in Cambodia and its neighboring areas, there was a particular focus on poverty alleviation. Ten students from the PAHSA Japanese university consortium partners attended the program.

• Read an immersive story told by the students who attended the program
• Read student essays from the program