The Centre for Asian Studies in Africa (CASA) at the University of Pretoria is a major new initiative for knowledge production about Asia and Afro-Asian connections in South Africa and on the African continent. CASA embodies both UP’s aspiration to become an African global university that is responsive to the global transformations and challenges of our times, and its commitment to producing excellence in research on Asia and Afro-Asian connections.

In a context where Asia has emerged as a major force to be reckoned in the world, CASA will serve as a premier hub for innovative research initiatives and academic exchanges between UP and institutions of higher learning in Asia and with scholars of Asia across the world. CASA’s activities will also extend beyond the academy, engaging actors in wider society and contributing to informed exchanges about Asian dynamics in the South African public sphere.