The Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa is proud to release a report highlighting some of its activities during the first two years since its establishment. During this time, CIPA’s main activities have fallen into three main categories: research, events and engagement, and professional development and training.

Research

CIPA has sought to advance policy-relevant research related to the Indo-Pacific region, focusing on three overarching themes:

• Emerging Security Challenges: CIPA has examined how security, economics, technology, climate change, health, and other issues impact regional stability and prosperity.
• Regional Responses to Strategic Competition: CIPA has examined the complex dynamics of US-China competition in the Indo-Pacific and how regional actors are crafting their own policies in response.
• Governance of the Global Commons: CIPA has analyzed the evolving rules-based international order and how Indo-Pacific actors are shaping the governance of the maritime, outer space, and cyber domains.

Events and Engagement

To foster dialogue on important issues, CIPA has hosted 26 events bringing together around 1,200 people over the past two years. CIPA faculty and staff have also participated in and facilitated other kinds of informal engagements and briefings with over 200 visiting scholars, policy experts, and government officials in Hawai‘i during this period, helping to expand the outreach and impact of the university’s work. CIPA Director Kristi Govella has also represented CIPA at events in the US, Canada, Japan, Italy, the Philippines, South Korea, and Singapore to expand our global network.

Professional Development and Training

To advance opportunities for students, CIPA has partnered with other departments and units at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and with organizations across Hawai‘i and beyond:

• The Indo-Pacific Policy Lab provided opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to engage in policy-relevant research.
• The Indo-Pacific Affairs Internship Program funded internships for undergraduate and graduate students.
• The Visiting Experts Program brought policy experts to Hawai‘i to give lectures and professional development workshops.
• The Careers in Asia-Pacific Affairs Speaker Series brought speakers from different professions to campus to build bridges between students and future prospective employers, as part of a broader UH Mānoa cross-campus initiative.