The ASEAN European Academic University Network (ASEA-UNINET) is a network of universities, consisting of European and south-east Asian universities. It was founded in 1994 by universities from Austria, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam with the goal of promoting the continuous internationalisation of education and research. Today ASEA-UNINET consists of 83 universities from 17 countries.ASEA-UNINET Homepage ASEA-UNINET Homepage, retrieved on October, 23rd 2014.

The Beginnings & Aims The foundations for this university network were laid by informal contacts between the University of Innsbruck and various Thai Universities, which date back to the late 1970s. Official visits followed and in the 1980s first partnerships between individual universities were concluded. This included partnership agreements between the University of Innsbruck and the Universities Chulalongkorn and Mahidol in Bangkok, as well as between the Universities of Vienna and Chiang Mai, and between the University of Agricultural Sciences in Vienna and the University of Kasetsart in Bangkok. Another partnership agreement was concluded with Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta in 1990. In 1992 the Universities of Innsbruck, Chulalongkorn, Vienna and Chiang Mai signed a joined partnership agreement to include one another in their cooperations. University relations also developed substantially with Vietnam. Furthermore interconnections were established between Austria's partner institutions in Thailand and other countries in the region and thus the idea of ASEA-UNINET was born.ASEA-UNINET Homepage ASEA-UNINET Homepage, retrieved on October, 23rd 2014.Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy "Südostasien" , retrieved on May, 23rd 2014.

With the aim to unify all these bilateral partnership agreements in one multilateral partnership, the initiator, Prof. Bernd Michael Rode, invited interested universities in Austria, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam to participate in the 1st Plenary Meeting in Ho Chi Minh City in December 1994. During this meeting the infrastructure and organization of the newly founded network, was laid down jointly by the participants and the following aims were agreed upon: facilitate and encourage cooperation between academic institutions in the fields of teaching, research, staff and student (e.g. joint research projects, staff and student exchange possibilities, Graduate programmes (mainly Ph.D. studies) and postgraduate education, specialized training courses).Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD): "Technology Grants South-East Asia" , retrieved on July 4th, 2014. promotion of scientific, cultural and human relations and personal contacts. promotion and initiation of projects of mutual interest and benefit for faculties, staff and students. Support and assist in forming coalitions of resources for academic activities between member institutions. facilitate collaboration and cooperation in education between universities, governmental and non-governmental organisations and economic operators engaged in projects related to education, science, technology and art in countries with member universities. act as a forum of continuous discussions on the progress of these projects, and serving as a network of excellence providing expertise and initiatives for entities seeking European-S.E.Asian relations.

Organization Each Member University has an ASEA-UNINET Coordinator, each country a National Coordinator and each continent a Regional Coordinator. The Chairman is elected at the General Assembly for approx. a year period.

In order to achieve ASEA UNINET's common goals and objectives financing is sought by all member institutions from university and national government sources. Project contributions are made by the member-universities on the basis of fair balance according to their economic and financial situation. Additional financial support is sought from regional (e.g. EU, ASEAN) as well as international agencies and from the private sector according to available projects.ASEA-UNINET Homepage ASEA-UNINET Homepage, retrieved on October, 23rd 2014.

Focal Areas Almost all areas of academic and economic interest are represented within ASEA-UNINET.ASEA-UNINET Homepage ASEA-UNINET Homepage, retrieved on October, 23rd 2014. The current focus areas of cooperation include: Science and Technology Economic and Social Sciences Health, Pharmacy and Medicine Humanities, Culture and Music

Members In 1994 this network consisted of 25 universities from Austria, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. In the following years, many universities from the following countries have joined the network: Kingdom of Cambodia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain. Pakistan and Iran have currently an associated status for specific projects. Since February 2018 ASEA-UNINET consists of 83 Universities from 17 different countries.

Countries Member Universities Memberships Austria University of Innsbruck1994 University of Vienna1994 University of Graz1998 University of Linz1998 University of Salzburg1998 Vienna University of Technology1994 Graz University of Technology1994 University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna1994 Vienna University of Economics and Business1994 University of Leoben1996 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna1996 University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna1997 University of Music and Dramatic Arts, Mozarteum in Salzburg1998 University of Music and Dramatic Arts, Graz1998 Medical University of Innsbruck 2004 Medical University Graz2004 Medical University of Vienna2004 Danube University Krems2014 University of Applied Arts Vienna2016 Czech Republic Technical University of Prague1997 Technical University of Liberec2017Kingdom of Cambodia Royal University of Phnom Penh2017 Denmark University of Southern Denmark(1997 - 2016) Germany University of Freiburg(2002 - 2016) University of Passau Greece University of Ioannina1998 Indonesia Gadjah Mada University1994 Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology1994 Diponegoro University1994 University of Indonesia1996 Bandung Institute of Technology1999 Udayana University2008 University of North Sumatra2014 Airlangga University2014 Hasanuddin University2017 Indonesia Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta2017 Bogor Institute of Agriculture2017 Iran Sharif University of Technology2016 Shiraz University2017 Italy University of Trento1999 Technical University of Milano2002 University of Genoa2008 University of Brescia2005 University of Veronauntil 2014 Free University of Bozen-Bolzano2017 Malaysia Universiti Putra Malaysia2007 University of Malaya2013 Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka2013 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia2013 Universiti Utara Malaysia2013Myanmar Yangon Technological University2015 Netherland University of Groningen(2002 – 2017) University of Utrecht(1998 – 2017 Pakistan University of Karachi2006 Philippines University of the Philippines Diliman1997 Poland Wrocław University of Economics(2016 – 2017) Portugal University of Porto2016 Slovakia Comenius University Spain University of Murcia2005 University of Barcelona(until 2014) University of Oviedo(until 2014) Thailand Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok1994 Mahidol University, Bangkok1994 Kasetsart University, Bangkok1994 King Mongkut's Institute of Technology, Ladkrabang1994 King Mongkut's University of Technology, North Bangkok1994 King Mongkut's University of Technology, Thonburi1994 Chiang Mai University1994 Khon Kaen University1994 Mahasarakham University2001 Naresuan University2002 Prince-of-Songkla University, Hat Yai1994 Suranaree University, Nakon Rachasima1994 Silpakorn University, Bangkok1998 Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok,1998 Thammasat University, Bangkok2002 Burapha University2007 Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok2008 Ubon Ratchathani University2008 Vietnam Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), Hanoi1994 National Economics University, Hanoi1994 University of Transport and Communication, Hanoi2007 Vietnam National Academy of Music, Hanoi Hanoi University of Agriculture, Hanoi Hanoi University, Hanoi Hue University, Hue City2005 University of Da Nang, Da Nang City2007 Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 1994 University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City1994

External links Austrian Foreign Ministry: Bilateral Relations Austria & Thailand Bilaterale Beziehungen mit Thailand, retrieved on May, 23rd 2014. ASEA-UNINET Homepage, retrieved on May, 23rd 2014. APA - Austrian Press Agency: "Beatrix Karl, Federal Minister of Science and Research meets in Bangkok with Thai Minister of Education and ASEA UNINET coordinators". Vienna February 14, 2011. Retrieved on May, 23rd 2014. University of Vienna: International Office:University of Vienna: International Office: ASEA UNINET, retrieved on July, 9th 2014. University of Graz: University of Graz: ASEA UNINET, retrieved on July, 9th 2014. Asian Studies, retrieved on July, 9th 2014.

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