ASEAN Secretary General Dr Surin Pitsuwan launching the Southeast Asia Institute Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officially launched a new research institute on Oct. 24 to improve Australia’s understanding of its closest neighbours and place in the region. The new institute is called the Southeast Asia Institute and based at the College of Asia and the Pacific in Australian National University (ANU). “The new institute will bring together the University’s unrivalled level of expertise on Southeast Asia and promote greater understanding of its many diverse nations, as well as of ASEAN.” said Head of the Institute, Professor Robert Cribb. According to Professor Cribb, 80 academics from Australian National University will conduct significant research on the region as well as supervise some 200 research students in the future.  (Edited by Yang Min)