City University today announced the appointment of Professor Kevin Hewison, who recently joined the Department of Applied Social Studies, as the Director of the University's Southeast Asia Research Centre (SEARC). The SEARC, which is based in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, was established in September 2000. It is one of three new Faculty Research Centres set up by CityU last year.

The Centre aims to develop an internationally significant research programme on Southeast Asia; to produce high quality academic publications on Southeast Asia; to establish mutually beneficial links

with international researchers and institutions studying Southeast Asia; to promote and enhance the study of Southeast Asia in Hong Kong; and to increase understanding of Southeast Asia within CityU and among the local general public.