James Robson Appointed New Director of Harvard-Yenching Institute

Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations James G. Robson was appointed the new director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute, the University announced Monday.

Robson will take up the position on July 1, succeeding Elizabeth J. Perry, the current director.

“I’m extremely excited to take on the role,” Robson said in an interview. “It’s a very unique institution at Harvard.”

As director, Robson will help foster and maintain relationships with seventy-seven partner universities throughout Asia that work with the institute. Partner programs nominate roughly 50 visiting scholars annually to conduct 10 months of independent research at Harvard on the humanities and social sciences.

“It is kind of either a bridge or a river that flows in both directions of sharing of knowledge — we get to benefit as much from those scholars coming here as they get while they’re here,” Robson said, adding that he is “firm believer in cultural exchange.”

Robson also commented on the institute’s independence from the University, which he says allows it to navigate dynamic U.S.-Asia relations.

“It is a financially and legally independent institute at Harvard — it also has some freedom to not be subject to certain parts of the Harvard bureaucracy,” he said. “It can do things in its own way that are quick and nimble,” Robson said.

Beyond upholding the institute’s mission to further Asian higher education, one of Robson’s priorities is to restore the conditions of the Harvard-Yenching library and better showcase its most notable pieces.

“First and foremost, showcase the rare books that are in that collection — right now they’re tucked away, and nobody can really see them,” Robson said. “They should be out front in display cases, basically allowing people to see them and then generate interest.”

He called the project “an important one for the long term” for both the University and the institute, and pointed to the institute’s 100-year anniversary in 2028 as a fundraising opportunity for the restoration.

Robson also wants to increase the number of universities the institute partners with. Historically, resident scholars have primarily come from East Asian universities, but Robson called it a “personal goal” of his to increase engagement with universities from South and Southeast Asia.

“I think it actually fits nicely into the core mission of the institute, because there are places in Southeast Asia where they could really benefit from the kinds of collaborations that enhance their higher education, and Harvard needs it,” Robson said.

Robson also commented on the “incredible job” of Perry, his predecessor, in leading the institute.

“She just did an amazing job of getting the Institute both in very good shape and running just exceptionally smoothly,” he said.

Looking forward, Robson said he is “honored” to continue the work of the Institute while increasing its visibility on campus.

“I don’t think many people at Harvard understand what the Harvard-Yenching Institute is,” Robson said. “But I would hope that they would see the value of the types of resources that are brought here.”

—Staff writer Elizabeth R. Huang can be reached at lizzy.huang@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @lizzyrhuang.

—Staff writer Connor J. Yu can be reached at connor.yu@thecrimson.com.