Trinity Centre for Asian Studies

10/10/2026

10/10/2026

On 2 October 2026, our Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS) welcomed H.E. Ms Ellen Jooyeon Kang, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ireland, for a visit and meeting with Professor Nathan Hill, Director of TCAS.

Ambassador Woon-Ki LYEO, a Visiting Researcher at Trinity Business School, also attended.

In welcoming Ambassador Kang, Professor Hill expressed his appreciation for the continued support and engagement of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea with TCAS.

During the meeting, participants exchanged views on opportunities for further collaboration between TCAS and the Korean Embassy in Ireland, including future academic and cultural events.

Discussions included a proposed workshop on the “2027 Outlook for the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia,” which would examine developments concerning North Korea and their implications for the changing regional strategic landscape.

The meeting also discussed the forthcoming Korean literature reading event, being developed in collaboration with the Embassy, as well as possibilities for further academic and cultural initiatives.

It was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen connections with the Embassy and to explore further opportunities for academic, cultural and intellectual exchange between Ireland and Korea.

We look forward to continuing our engagement with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and developing further opportunities for collaboration.

10/10/2026

Professor Nathan Hill, Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS), joined a Trinity College Dublin delegation to China during the week of 21 September 2026.

The visit, led by Professor Alan O’Connor, Vice President for Global Engagement, coincided with an official Irish delegation led by Minister James Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

The visit focused on strengthening academic partnerships, promoting research collaboration and deepening educational links between Ireland and China.

Academic Engagements in Beijing

During the Beijing leg of the visit, the Trinity delegation participated in two important events:

2026 China–Europe Talent Forum, held under the theme Bridging Continents: Decoding Talent and Innovation. Professor Alan O’Connor contributed through a presentation and discussions on international academic partnerships and research collaboration.

Sino-Irish Transnational Education Showcase, supported by Enterprise Ireland, the Embassy of Ireland in China and Education in Ireland, brought together institutions to explore educational cooperation, student mobility and international partnerships.

Professor Nathan Hill also visited the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS), meeting with President Feng Shizheng and university colleagues to discuss academic cooperation and potential collaboration in Asian Studies, the humanities and related research disciplines.

Strengthening Partnerships in Shanghai

The Trinity delegation subsequently visited Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Led by Professor Alan O’Connor, these engagements provided opportunities to discuss institutional cooperation, collaborative research, academic exchange and future partnerships with university representatives.

Building Connections for Future Research

For the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies, the engagements in Beijing and Shanghai offered valuable opportunities to strengthen academic connections and explore future cooperation in Asian Studies, humanities research and interdisciplinary scholarship.

TCAS looks forward to building on these discussions and contributing to Trinity's international engagement through academic exchange, collaborative research and institutional partnerships.

08/10/2026

We were pleased to host representatives from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) at Trinity College Dublin yesterday.

Professor Nathan Hill, Director of TCAS, joined Trinity colleagues for the visit, which provided an opportunity to engage with JSPS and discuss research connections and academic exchange with Japan.

The event brought together colleagues from across our college and highlighted opportunities for strengthening research engagement and institutional links between Trinity College Dublin and Japan.

TCAS was delighted to contribute to the occasion and looks forward to further opportunities to support academic and research exchange with Japan.



Embassy of Japan in Ireland
Japan Society
Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation
Trinity Business School
Japan Society
TCD Japanese Society

08/10/2026

On 2 October 2026, our Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS) welcomed H.E. Ms Ellen Jooyeon Kang, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ireland, for a visit and meeting with Professor Nathan Hill, Director of TCAS.

Ambassador Woon-Ki LYEO, a Visiting Researcher at Trinity Business School, also attended.

In welcoming Ambassador Kang, Professor Hill expressed his appreciation for the continued support and engagement of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea with TCAS.

During the meeting, participants exchanged views on opportunities for further collaboration between TCAS and the Korean Embassy in Ireland, including future academic and cultural events.

Discussions included a proposed workshop on the “2027 Outlook for the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia,” which would examine developments concerning North Korea and their implications for the changing regional strategic landscape.

The meeting also discussed the forthcoming Korean literature reading event, being developed in collaboration with the Embassy, as well as possibilities for further academic and cultural initiatives.

It was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen connections with the Embassy and to explore further opportunities for academic, cultural and intellectual exchange between Ireland and Korea.

We look forward to continuing our engagement with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and developing further opportunities for collaboration.




Trinity College Dublin Global
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute
Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation
Korean Embassy in Ireland

06/10/2026

The School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences has just hosted the launch of the new research report Motivations and Pathways in Higher Education Language Learning: Evidence to Inform the Next Phase of Languages Connect at the Trinity Long Room Hub on Friday, 2 October 2026.

The research was funded by Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth, through the PPLI Higher Education Institution Funding Call 2025–2026.

Professor Nathan Hill, Head of the School, opened the event, followed by guest remarks from Karen Ruddock, Director of PPLI. The launch brought together representatives from the Department of Education and Youth and the diplomatic community, as well as language educators and researchers from Irish higher education institutions and beyond.

The research was led by Hongfei Wang and Rowland Imperial of Trinity College Dublin, and Erin McNamara Cullen of South East Technological University.

This mixed-methods study examined students’ experiences of language learning in higher education, with a particular focus on motivation, participation and continuity.

The findings reveal strong student motivation alongside structural barriers to participation, highlighting the need for more flexible and connected pathways across different stages of education.

The study also considers continuity across the wider language-learning continuum, from early education to higher education and lifelong learning, as well as the role of artificial intelligence in language education, and positions language learning as a wider strategic capacity for higher education and beyond.

The launch concluded with the official release of the report and a reception at the Trinity Long Room Hub, providing an opportunity for policymakers, researchers and language educators to continue discussions on the future of language education in Ireland.

The full report is available here. https://doi.org/10.25546/113177

06/10/2026

‘From Trinity to New Horizons: Chime Lhamo’s Journey in Endangered Language Research.

The Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS) is delighted to congratulate Chime Lhamo, who has recently completed her PhD in and at Fudan University and begun a new chapter as a postdoctoral researcher at Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, China.

Chime spent the 2022–2023 academic year at College Dublin as a CSC-funded joint PhD student. During her time at Trinity, she conducted research under the supervision of Professor Nathan Hill, with additional guidance from Dr Yunfan Lai, focusing on , an endangered language spoken in Sichuan, China.

As a native speaker of Yargrung Cheyi, Chime combines first-hand knowledge of the speech community with linguistic fieldwork and analysis. Her research focuses on language documentation and grammatical description, and has resulted in publications including an article on argument indexation in Transactions of the Society in 2025.

Chime has also been actively involved in language education and community engagement and was named an Outstanding Graduate of in 2026.

TCAS warmly congratulates Chime on completing her PhD and wishes her every success in the next stage of her academic career.

06/10/2026

From Trinity to New Horizons:
Chime Lhamo’s Journey in Endangered Language Research

The Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS) is delighted to congratulate Chime Lhamo, who has recently completed her PhD in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at Fudan University and begun a new chapter as a postdoctoral researcher at Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, China.

Chime spent the 2022–2023 academic year at Trinity College Dublin as a CSC-funded joint PhD student. During her time at Trinity, she conducted research under the supervision of Professor Nathan Hill, with additional guidance from Dr Yunfan Lai, focusing on Yargrung Cheyi, an endangered language spoken in Sichuan, China.

As a native speaker of Yargrung Cheyi, Chime combines first-hand knowledge of the speech community with linguistic fieldwork and analysis. Her research focuses on language documentation and grammatical description, and has resulted in publications including an article on argument indexation in Transactions of the Philological Society in 2025.

Chime has also been actively involved in language education and community engagement and was named an Outstanding Graduate of Fudan University in 2026.

TCAS warmly congratulates Chime on completing her PhD and wishes her every success in the next stage of her academic career!

05/10/2026

05/10/2026

The Intellectual Exchange between Japan and Ireland is getting stronger.

On 25 September 2026, Professor Nathan Hill, Director of the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS), met with H.E. Ambassador MIYAGAWA Manabu, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, to discuss opportunities for strengthening intellectual exchange between Japan and Ireland

The meeting included an initial discussion on developing a series of talks featuring individuals active across a wide range of fields in Japan and Ireland, as part of activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Ireland in 2027.

This forthcoming anniversary is an important opportunity to deepen academic and intellectual connections between the two countries.

The Embassy of Japan in Ireland has also committed to using this milestone to further strengthen intellectual exchange between Japan and Ireland.

We look forward to continuing our engagement with the Embassy and contributing to activities marking this important anniversary in 2027.

Trinity College Dublin
Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural TranslationAsian & Irish Community Connect
Japan Society
TCD Japanese Society