"With the world becoming a global village, and with national destinies more closely intertwined, a better understanding of each other's different perspectives will be crucial. For much will depend on what you and your generation do as you take your positions in society in later years. I am hopeful that many of you will attain high positions in society as each one of you has been endowed with gifts of intellectual or personal leadership."
~His Excellency SR Nathan, President of Singapore, at HPAIR 2001
The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) is student-run organization of the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. HPAIR organizes Harvard University's largest annual student conferences in the Asia-Pacific region. Since 1991, we have continuously gathered a growing pool of international students from top universities, renowned academics, business professionals, and political leaders to engage in our rigorous educational events. Our programs intend to achieve three goals:
Provide a dynamic forum of exchange on international issues vital to Asia
Foster long-term relationships among young leaders from around the globe
Connect talented delegates with some of today's leaders in academia, business and government.
Today, HPAIR has significantly expanded to offer two annual conferences. Through plenary sessions, panels, keynotes, workshops, and case studies, the conferences provide valuable opportunities for discussion about challenges and trends in the international landscape. The Academic Conference is HPAIR's oldest flagship program, centering on six stimulating workshops that bring together undergraduate and graduate students to interact with a distinguished group of speakers and explores issues ranging from international security to natural resources. Workshops include speeches and discussion, interactive projects and activities, and are framed by serious research. In addition to the workshops, plenary sessions, panels, workshops, and other events allow each conference to span a multitude of issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.
Since 2004, HPAIR has also organized an annual Business Conference, which invites many prominent figures from the world of business, government and law to discuss their understanding of Asia and its place in the global economy with more than 300 business students and young professionals. The third conference, the HPAIR Harvard Conference, began in 2008 and intends to gather talented foreign delegates to engage in a 4-day Harvard experience, while attending small, interactive, and themed panels with well-known professors, economists, and politicians.
In addition to its international conferences, HPAIR aims to promote understanding of the economic, political, social, and cultural issues facing the Asia-Pacific region within the Harvard community by organizing panels and other events on Harvard's campus.
Through all of its activities, HPAIR strives to maintain the vision of its mission statement: "to promote understanding of the economic, political, social, and cultural issues facing the Asia-Pacific region within the Harvard and international communities."
For more information, see our HPAIR 2010 Brochure.
