On 15 May 2024, the Myanmar Studies Center (MSC@UP) has been launched at the Palacký University Olomouc in the Moravian town of Olomouc.
The Center is one of its kind in Czechia as well as in Central Europe, where generally little scholarly attention is given to this region. Driven by a commitment to fill this academic void, MSC@UP is dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary research and education centered on Myanmar.
Czechia is well positioned for such a center, given the country's historical support for the Myanmar democracy movement. This is exemplified by the special relationship between former President Vaclav Havel and Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as Czechia's provision of asylum for Burmese dissidents. Furthermore, Czechia boasts a vibrant civil society engaged in diverse Myanmar-related activities (such as Burma Center Prague or Integria).
The establishment of MSC@UP has been made possible through support from the European Union’s research and innovation program allocated for the project "The EU in the volatile Indo-Pacific region (EUVIP). One of EUVIP's endeavors was to work towards the establishment of a center that would foster a broader appreciation for Myanmar's rich cultural heritage, societal dynamics, and political landscape, both within the Czech Republic and beyond.
The Center will be led by Dr. Kristina Kironska, an Assistant Professor at Palacky University Olomouc, who lived in Myanmar from 2015 to 2016. Since then, she has remained dedicated to researching Myanmar-related topics concerning mostly international relations and human rights (see for example the Myanmar Coup Tracker). Dr. Kironska is also an active member of the European Myanmar Solidarity Network, engaging in advocacy efforts at both the EU and national levels.
The primary objective of MSC@UP is to enhance the integration of Myanmar into the curriculum of the Department of Asian Studies. Presently, students can study five Asian languages and explore political, anthropological, and international relations topics related to Asia. The approach involves initially incorporating Myanmar-related content significantly into existing courses (such as Human Rights in Asia or Politics in the Indo-Pacific, with the eventual goal of introducing standalone Myanmar courses (such as Myanmar: Past and Present).
The Center will also be involved in organizing events, such as public lectures, conferences, and summer schools on Myanmar-related topics. Some of the upcoming activities include the Myanmar-themed summer school in June 2024 ("Navigating Geostrategic Dynamics in the Indo-Pacific: Focus on Southeast Asia and Myanmar") for PhD and advanced Master’s students, and the Interdisciplinary Myanmar Conference 2024 (with the conference theme “Myanmar's International Role: More Than a Buffer State”), bringing distinguished experts from all over the world to Olomouc at the end of June 2024.
Additionally, the Center will take part in the Erasmus+ program, providing internships at the Center for students from Myanmar (following the successful reception of an Erasmus+ grant). The MSC@UP website will showcase blog posts by these interns, as well as by participants of the summer schools or other activities organized by the Center, effectively communicating its activities to the wider public.
–EUVIP team–