ASIANetwork invites applications for the inaugural Luce-ASIANetwork Summer Institute (LANSI). These weeklong convenings, made possible through the generous support of the Henry Luce Foundation, provide timely faculty development to enhance the teaching of Asia and Asian diasporas across undergraduate settings. Each LANSI workshop will address two themes to strengthen faculty pedagogy and scholarly work in evolving institutional contexts and national conversations. LANSI 2026, May 31 to June 5, at Benedictine University (Lisle, Illinois), will center on the interconnected topics, “Teaching Global Asia/s: Models, Methods, Reconfigurations” and “Asian Languages Futures.” Each applicant should indicate in their application essay how their work, their students, and their institution engage with one or both of the workshop themes.

We welcome educators (full-time faculty and staff) of any disciplinary background from undergraduate teaching-focused institutions and liberal arts colleges. Our goal is to gather colleagues to facilitate cross-cutting discussions and create educational and advocacy tools for the broader national community and imagine new curricular paradigms and pathways that sustain education about Asia and its diaspora for the next generation. These Institutes will also foster the sharing and improvement of teaching materials such as syllabi, modules, learning outcomes, and curricular plans. 

Participants will be selected from a range of institutional settings and teaching areas, and with a demonstrated commitment to making an impact on their campus and in wider academic communities. Domestic airfare, ground transportation, and accommodations will be provided for the duration of the Institute. Participants will be expected to attend a culminating workshop (travel and registration supported) and present completed projects in specially arranged sessions at the ASIANetwork Conference, April 2027.

Why should you apply to join the inaugural LANSI?

• You will spend an enriching week thinking deeply about the future of your field(s) with a pedagogical and scholarly cohort of peers who also teach about Asia and Asian diasporic / Asian American / AAPI studies in diverse undergraduate institutions.
• You will attend the ASIANetwork conference following the summer program, for a sharing of curricular and programmatic materials that will improve teaching and mentorship of students in their engagement with Asia. Ultimately, this will enhance your students’ learning opportunities.

In addition,

• You will position yourself to address the future of education and build on your professional profile.
• You will reposition Asian studies and Asia-related content within your institution and learn strategies to increase its relevance across student majors and pre-professional foci.
• You will contribute to ASIANetwork’s mission as the national leader in innovative and effective teaching about Asia within undergraduate liberal arts environments.
• You will shape the future of Asian and Asian diasporic studies in US higher education.

To apply, please submit the following by January 22, 2026:

• A current CV (no more than 2 pages)
• An essay addressing the questions: What perspectives and professional accomplishments would you bring to the conversation about Teaching Global Asia and/or Asian Languages Futures? What do you most desire to learn? (No more than 800 words.)