The Institute of Advanced Studies in Asia-Pacific International Intangible Cultural Heritage (IASAPIICH) is an international higher academic research institution operating under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Council for International Intangible Cultural Heritage (APCIICH) and a member organization of the United Nations Global Compact.
It serves as a globally oriented platform dedicated to high-level research, international academic exchange, and innovation in cultural governance, and enjoys broad professional recognition and academic influence in the field of intangible cultural heritage across the Asia-Pacific region and internationally.
Grounded in the principles of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Institute adheres to internationally recognized academic standards and research ethics. It conducts systematic research in areas including theoretical studies, safeguarding and transmission mechanisms, international communication, public cultural policy, digital preservation, and the integration of intangible cultural heritage with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through these efforts, the Institute provides forward-looking, authoritative, and practice-oriented intellectual support for global cultural sustainability.
As an internationally recognized higher research institution in the field of intangible cultural heritage, IASAPIICH actively participates in and supports heritage-related research and international cooperation initiatives within United Nations frameworks. Through academic research, policy studies, expert consultation, and international dialogue mechanisms, the Institute contributes professional expertise to the global safeguarding, transmission, and governance of intangible cultural heritage. It maintains ongoing collaboration with cultural authorities, academic institutions, and international organizations worldwide, promoting the inclusion of heritage-related issues in global public policy discourse, cultural diversity initiatives, and sustainable development agendas.
The Institute brings together scholars and senior practitioners from across the Asia-Pacific region and around the world, including experts in anthropology, history, cultural studies, and public cultural policy. Its core research areas encompass traditional craftsmanship and artisanal systems, ritual and belief cultures, culinary and lifestyle heritage, martial arts and mind–body cultural traditions, community-based and intergenerational transmission mechanisms, digital safeguarding and innovative transformation of heritage, as well as the contemporary role of intangible cultural heritage in fostering social cohesion and intercultural dialogue.
In advancing academic and cultural leadership, the Institute, in accordance with its charter and through rigorous academic review and public-contribution assessment procedures, confers internationally recognized academic and cultural distinctions upon outstanding individuals worldwide who have made exceptional contributions to intangible cultural heritage safeguarding, scholarly research, cultural transmission, international cultural exchange, and public cultural initiatives.
These distinctions—International Master, International Grand Master, International Academician, Honorary International Academician, and Lifetime Honorary International Academician—are awarded in recognition of their sustained and international contributions to the protection of cultural diversity, the promotion of civilizational dialogue and mutual learning, and the sustainable development of intangible cultural heritage.
As a member organization of the United Nations Global Compact, IASAPIICH is committed to upholding the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. The Institute integrates academic integrity, cultural responsibility, and social accountability into its research activities and international cooperation, reinforcing the positive role of intangible cultural heritage within the global framework of sustainable development.
Guided by the principles of academic independence, respect for cultural diversity, and global responsibility, IASAPIICH leverages the international platform and network of the Asia-Pacific Council for International Intangible Cultural Heritage to advance high-quality research, international recognition, and cross-border collaboration. The Institute remains dedicated to positioning intangible cultural heritage as a vital civilizational bridge linking history and the future, tradition and modernity, and regions and cultures across the world.
