Centre for East Asia Studies

East Asia is a region with ancient, highly developed cultures. Today, it plays a significant role in global politics and economics. The East Asian Studies program at Heidelberg is dedicated to exploring East Asian societies in their historical developments, regional contexts, and contemporary forms.

Japanese Studies at Heidelberg offers research-driven teaching with a focus on the humanities, literature, and social sciences, embedded in an interdisciplinary environment at the Centre for East Asian Studies.
With two professorships and outstanding library holdings, the program provides in-depth insights into the history, society, literature, and culture of Japan—regionally connected and internationally oriented.

The East Asian Art History study programs focus on visual and material culture of China and Japan, also addressing arts of Inner Asia, India and Korea.
In addition to courses offered by our faculty, we host Visiting Professors with support from the Heinz-Götze-Stiftung and the Ishibashi Foundation. Our programs prepare students for careers as academics, museum curators and in other professions in the field of culture mediation.

At Heidelberg University's Institute of Chinese Studies, the study of China is approached with an exceptional breadth and depth that is unparalleled in Germany. Across six research areas, over 30 scholars examine China and the Chinese-speaking world through a wide range of disciplinary perspectives and with deep historical insight.

Korea is an important partner for Germany and has gained considerable significance in recent years for understanding East Asia. In this context, interest in Korean culture and society has also grown.