The Inaugural Meeting of the Consortium of Non-Traditional Security Studies in Asia (NTS-Asia) from the 8th to 9th January 2007 was a milestone in the progress of NTS studies. The meeting not only officially launched the Consortium but also brought together its pioneering network members – comprising 14 research institutes and think tanks from across Asia – to discuss current NTS challenges facing the region, and possible policy responses to address these problems.
Former Thai Foreign Minister and Member of the International Human Security Commission, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan , presented a highly motivating keynote address, which was then followed by speeches from the Ford Regional Representative, Prof. Andrew Watson; Dean of RSIS, Amb. Barry Desker; and the then NTS-Asia Secretary General, Prof. Amitav Acharya.
Representatives from all 14 Consortium member institutes took turns in presenting major NTS concerns affecting their regions and proposed measures to address the challenges. Sessions of these presentations were based on Asian sub regions. Discussions also focused on advancing the Consortium’s activities, in particular its annual convention, regional workshops, research fellowship programme and curriculum development.
The pioneering members of NTS-Asia are as follows:
South Asia
- Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, Bangladesh (BIISS)
- Women In Security, Conflict Management and Peace, India (WISCOMP)
- Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, India (CSDS)
- Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, Bangladesh (RMMRU)
- Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Sri Lanka (RCSS)
North East Asia
- Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
- Ilmin International Relations Institute, Korea University
- Center for International Security and Strategic Studies, Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP), Vietnam
- Beijing Foreign Studies University (representing IWEP China)
- Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hongkong
South East Asia