A globally respected historian from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� has earned one of the highest honors in her field, recognizing decades of scholarship that reshaped how the world understands Southeast Asia.

Professor emerita Barbara Watson Andaya received the from the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), a leading international organization dedicated to advancing research and teaching on Asia.

Andaya is widely known for her work on early modern Southeast Asia. Over the course of her career, her research has significantly influenced how historians interpret the region’s history and cultural development.

“Professor Barbara Andaya has been a true academic treasure to UH ����ԴDz� during her career, and we are absolutely delighted to see her hard work and devotion recognized by our international association,” said Miriam Stark, director of the UH ����ԴDz� .

Early Path

Known to many as “Barb,” Andaya grew up in Sydney, Australia. With parents involved in science and academia, she developed an early interest in education and research. She earned degrees in history and education from the University of Sydney and began her professional career as a high school teacher.

A shift in curriculum eventually brought her to UH ����ԴDz�, where she completed her master’s degree in Southeast Asian history as an East-West Center fellow. She later joined the faculty and was promoted to full professor in 1996.

Research Impact

Her scholarly expertise centers on the Malay-Indonesian world. Since 2014, she has published more than 30 works, including , which was recognized as an outstanding academic title. She also served as director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies from 2000 to 2006.

UH Press Honors

The recognition comes alongside additional accolades tied to UH. Two titles from the books, and , received 2026 Association for Asian Studies prizes.

Deep cultural ties between �鶹��ý and French Polynesia were highlighted during French Polynesia President Moetai Brotherson’s visit to the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s on February 25.

While in Honolulu for , hosted by the East-West Center, Brotherson made time to connect with UH ����ԴDz�, including a visit to the library’s internationally recognized collections.

Pacific Collection librarians Eleanor Kleiber and Stu Dawrs, along with Hawaiian Collection Librarian and department chair Jodie Mattos, showcased rare and historic materials related to French Polynesia. Items included: 18th-century works from Captain Cook’s voyages, 1844 correspondence from the Queen of Tahiti to King Kamehameha III, signed editions of �鶹��ý’s Story by Queen Liliʻuokalani, and two editions of Brotherson’s own novel, Le Roi absent (The Missing King).

“It was an honor to welcome President Brotherson, and a joy for us to share items from our collections that highlight the historical and cultural connections between �鶹��ý and French Polynesia,” said Kleiber. “He seemed to appreciate seeing these items our library has curated to represent the strong connections between our islands.”

University Librarian Clem Guthro added, “Our collections are vast, global and contain a multitude of treasures that support research, scholarship and teaching. Welcoming visitors from abroad to our collections extends their global reach. Visitors like President Brotherson become our ambassadors; sharing their experiences with our library when they return home, and knowing we are a resource to them.”

Brotherson has served as president since 2023 and is known for promoting sustainable development, cultural preservation and regional cooperation across the Pacific.

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As �鶹��ý faces rising sea levels, housing pressures and growing calls for the return of to community stewardship, the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� will host a day of bold conversations focused on solutions. On March 4, the annual at 8 a.m. at East West Center will gather leaders, scholars and community advocates to examine how land, law and justice intersect and what that means for �鶹��ý’s future.

Now in its fifth year, the summit carries the theme ʻĀinahoʻi: Land, Law and Justice. ʻĀinahoʻi means “indeed that which feeds us.” The phrase is both reminder and call to action that the future of �鶹��ý is tied to how we care for the ʻ�徱�Բ� that sustains us.

“We established the Piʻo Summits to advance ancestral knowledge and courageous leadership to address the cascading challenges of our times,” said Kamanamaikalani Beamer, professor at UH ����ԴDz� and the . “�鶹��ý deserves the best and the Piʻo Summits bring critical issues to the head of our table and we sit with the community to find ways to carve out a better future.”

Voices for ʻ�徱�Բ�

This year’s summit begins with music from two-time Grammy nominee Raiatea Helm and a keynote from Justice Joe Williams of Aotearoa, a respected Māori jurist known for advancing Indigenous rights within modern legal systems.

Throughout the day, panels will feature leaders from �鶹��ý’s largest landholders serving Native Hawaiian communities, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) advocates will join scholars and professors from UH ����ԴDz�’s and departments, as well as the William S. Richardson School of Law, to explore the future of ʻ�徱�Բ� stewardship and justice in �鶹��ý.

“This year’s summit will highlight the collective effort for ʻĀinahoʻi across the ,” Beamer said. “We will be exploring how communities are navigating and challenging existing systems through legal methods, land trusts, and grassroots action to restore , strengthen relationships to ʻ�徱�Բ�, and advance self-determined governance grounded in ancestral innovation and courageousness.”

Ancestral innovation

The summit is organized by Pōʻai Ke Aloha ʻĀina, a UH-based lab that works to solve modern challenges using ʻike �鶹��ý (ancestral Hawaiian knowledge). The lab is helping build a new center focused on an ancestral circular economy, a model rooted in regeneration and long-term stewardship.

The welcomed 185 archivists and cultural heritage professionals from 35 countries September 8–11 for the first �鶹��ý-based joint conference of the and the , held at the East-West Center.

• Related �鶹��ýNews story: Global conference to tackle climate change, media preservation, February 11, 2025

Centered on the theme “A Loss of Place,” the gathering examined how climate change transforms landscapes, challenges cultural identities, and impacts media preservation, with international partners including UNESCO, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and national archives and libraries worldwide.

UH President Wendy Hensel opened the conference at the Imin International Conference Center. “In �鶹��ý and across the Pacific, we know that there are significant challenges with climate change, the fight for cultural identity, and amplifying voices that, too often, go unheard,” she said. “The work that you do in preserving those voices, protecting and sharing these stories, ensures that memory endures and that wisdom is not lost.”

UH leadership, systemwide support

UH ����ԴDz�’s Library and Information Sciences program and the were among the conference’s financial sponsors. and faculty played key roles in planning, and presenters and volunteers came from across the UH System and �鶹��ý.

Participants took part in a workshop at the at UH West Oʻahu, toured , and explored Hamilton Library’s Asia, Hawaiian, Pacific, and University Archives collections. They also visited key cultural sites, including Bishop Museum, the Jaku’an Japanese Tea House at the East-West Center, and the .

“I thought it was a great opportunity to bring people here to showcase the library and our collections, and also focus on �鶹��ý and the Pacific,” said David Rowntree, digital preservation librarian at Hamilton Library and local organizing chair.

University Librarian Clem Guthro added: “We are a major research university, and we’re doing work that isn’t being done elsewhere in the world. Having conference attendees experience UH ����ԴDz� and �鶹��ý allows our work to be known and our reputation enhanced.”

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� has once again been recognized for its natural beauty, this time by House Beautiful magazine. UH ����ԴDz� ranked among the “40 Most Stunning College Campuses in the World,” landing at No. 27 on the list.

the feature praised universities worldwide for their architecture, history and inspiring settings, from ivy-covered walls to sleek modern designs.

“These locations are nothing short of extraordinary…they create an atmosphere of inspiration, creativity, and culture that elevates the student experience,” the article noted.

The magazine highlighted the East-West Center Japanese garden, adjoining Imin Center and Jefferson Hall as one of the campus’s most breathtaking features.

UH ����ԴDz� was also recently named one of America’s most beautiful college campuses by Travel + Leisure magazine in its June issue.

Recent rankings

In case you missed it, UH ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• The Best 391 Colleges by The Princeton Review, August 13, 2025
• 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation, July 24, 2025
• 2026 QS World University Rankings, June 19, 2025
• 2025 Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings, June 2, 2025
• 2025 Carnegie Classifications, April 24, 2025

Celeste A. Connors was selected by the (EWC) Board as the institution’s next president, effective July 1. A �鶹��ý-raised leader with more than 25 years of global experience in risk management, diplomacy, national security and development policy, Connors brings a deep understanding of both international affairs and regional priorities to the role.

Connors is a recognized international leader with more than 25 years of risk management and national security experience. As a former director on both the National Security Council and the National Economic Council under both Republican and Democratic administrations, she chaired complex interagency processes and advised White House leaders on energy, trade, environment and technology strategies. She previously gained extensive foreign policy experience while serving as a U.S. diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, Germany and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, and as Foreign Policy Adviser to the Mayor of New York City.

In recent years, Connors has led the internationally recognized center of excellence �鶹��ý Green Growth, where she developed policy and investment solutions to help build resilient communities. She is also co-founder of c.dots development LLC, and the co-chair of the Local2030 Islands Network, a group of 45 island economies focused on building a safer, more resilient future.

Connors has an extensive background in corporate and nonprofit governance, including serving on the boards of Hawaiian Electric Industries, the state’s primary electricity provider, and the �鶹��ý Visitors and Convention Bureau. She also co-chairs the �鶹��ý Sustainability Business Forum, which brings together the CEOs of the state’s top public and private companies.

She has served in academia as a faculty lecturer and practitioner with the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, where she led a practicum program focused on risk management. In addition, she has been an adjunct senior fellow with EWC since 2021, when �鶹��ý Green Growth entered a formal partnership with the center to collaborate on sustainable development initiatives.

“I’m deeply honored and excited to lead the East-West Center team in continuing to advance regional cooperation,” said Connors. “Strategically based in the Pacific Ocean, the EWC plays a critical role in supporting U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific region through convening, expert dialogue, educational exchange, and people-to-people connections. In �鶹��ý and beyond, we seek to support security and prosperity by promoting leadership and partnerships around our shared interests and values.”

Connors holds a master’s degree in development studies from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies and an undergraduate degree in international relations from Tufts University.

Her appointment concludes an extensive search to succeed outgoing Interim President James K. Scott, the former EWC board chair who has been serving in the presidential post temporarily since the beginning of this year.

“Ms. Connors was selected from an impressive applicant pool of talented and experienced individuals,” said EWC Board of Governors Chairman John Waiheʻe. “We feel strongly that her breadth of leadership experience across government, civil society, academia and business sectors is exactly what the center requires to carry our mission and legacy forward to a bright new future at this pivotal time in our institution’s proud 65-year history.”

Read more on the .

The University of �鶹��ý hosted WICHE’s biannual meeting on November 14–15 at the East-West Center, convening leaders from 16 states and Pacific jurisdictions to tackle higher education and workforce challenges. �鶹��ý students saved $27.7 million in the 2023–24 academic year through ’s (WICHE) tuition savings programs, which also brought more than 4,000 out-of-state students to study in �鶹��ý.

As a WICHE member, �鶹��ý students can receive discounted tuition at many institutions and programs throughout the West. And through WICHE, UH offers discounted tuition for some out-of-state students, diversifying its student body while boosting �鶹��ý‘s economy. UH ����ԴDz� welcomed the most out-of-state students through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program (3,350), followed by UH Hilo (363) and UH West Oʻahu (11).

Meeting highlights

The commission meeting previewed WICHE’s 11th edition of its Knocking at the College Door analysis, set to be released December 11 (). The report and online dashboards include national-, regional- and state-level data and analyses about high school graduate projection numbers, offering critical insights for policymakers, educational leaders, and other decision-makers to address enrollment shifts and workforce needs.

Discussions focused on the growing enrollment pressures and funding challenges faced by higher education institutions, alongside strategic priorities such as expanding tuition savings programs, fostering cost-saving partnerships on technology contracts and mental health services, advancing digital learning, distance education impacts, supporting Indigenous student success, and mental health workforce needs.

Part of the commission meeting focused on the WICHE Behavioral Health Program’s workforce initiative supporting pre-doctoral psychology students. Since 2013, WICHE has been instrumental in establishing the , which earned a 10-year American Psychological Association accreditation and has graduated 90 psychologists, with over 50% retained one year post-graduation.

President Lassner commended for leadership

UH President David Lassner, a �鶹��ý WICHE commissioner since 2015 and the WICHE Commission chair in 2022, was commended for his leadership in advancing equity-focused initiatives. Lassner, who will retire on December 31, reflected on his 40-year career at UH and his role in fostering collaboration across the region.

“The University of �鶹��ý is proud to partner with WICHE to enhance educational opportunities for students from �鶹��ý and the West,” Lassner said. “WICHE is also a valuable community for the exchange of ideas and sharing of solutions to the challenges facing higher education in our region including the Pacific.”

WICHE President Demarée Michelau praised UH’s dedication to expanding student access to higher education and credited Lassner’s leadership with advancing the commission’s mission.

“As a champion of affordable education and innovation, President Lassner has left a legacy that will inspire future generations,” Michelau said.

The meeting reaffirmed UH’s regional leadership in educational access and collaboration while highlighting the importance of data-driven strategies like the Knocking at the College Door report to shape a resilient future for higher education.

(EWC) President Suzanne Vares-Lum announced that she will be leaving the center at the end of this year to accept a Department of Defense appointment to head the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) located in Waikīkī.

Former EWC Board of Governors Chair and longtime president of Punahou School James Scott will serve as the center’s interim president while the board undertakes a search for a permanent successor, a process that is expected to take approximately six months. The board has retained the executive search firm of Isaacson, Miller to assist with the search.

“It is with a heavy heart that I will be moving on from the East-West Center, whose amazing staff and community have made my time here some of the most professionally and personally rewarding of my life,” Vares-Lum, a University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� alumna, wrote in a message to the center’s staff and community. “Making the decision to depart this great institution was very difficult, but ultimately I believe this new appointment is the best opportunity for me to draw on my cumulative experiences toward making a positive impact on our region.”

During Vares-Lum’s three-year tenure at EWC, she oversaw the center’s recovery from pandemic lockdowns and worked closely with the institution’s board, staff, and stakeholders to implement EWC’s first new formal strategic plan in nearly two decades. Both government and private funding have also increased, and enrollment in EWC’s programs have reached some of the highest levels in several decades.

“While the EWC Board of Governors is pained by President Vares-Lum’s decision to step down, we certainly respect her reasons for doing so in the interests of serving our country and our region,” EWC Board Chairman and former �鶹��ý Gov. John Waiheʻe said. “We are thankful to Jim Scott for agreeing to step in as interim president, and grateful for the remarkable energy Suzy has brought to her service at the Center, restoring its vitality in the wake of the pandemic and setting it on a steady course for the future.”

�鶹��ý Gov. Josh Green, who is an ex officio member of the EWC’s board and is responsible for appointing five of its other members, added, “Suzy’s remarkable tenure as the first woman and first Native Hawaiian President of the East-West Center has been a reflection of her inspiring vision, energy, and aloha. Thanks to her leadership, the Center has enjoyed an upwelling of support in recent years, and she leaves it well-positioned as a stronger, more vital institution. Although she will surely be missed at the Center, we are fortunate that she will remain a pillar of our state’s foreign policy community in her new role at APCSS.”

In 2021, Vares-Lum became the first woman and first Native Hawaiian to lead EWC. Born and raised in Wahiawā, Vares-Lum earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master of education in teaching from UH ����ԴDz�, and a master of strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. In 2019, she became a National Security Fellow of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and she is also an alumna of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies.

As a major general in the U.S. Army, Vares-Lum advised the most senior officials at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, where she maintained key relationships among nations within the Asia Pacific Region. She retired from the military in April 2021, after 34 years of service.

Marshall Islands President and University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� alumna Hilda Heine was honored with the East-West Center’s 2024 at a celebration on October 25.

As the first woman to lead an independent Pacific Island nation in modern times, Heine has become a symbol of gender equality and women’s empowerment. She has had significant successes as a leader in education and made important contributions to climate change advocacy.

“If there is anything my career has taught me, it is that positive impact can be made only through building community and building bridges,” Heine said. “There is that Western saying, ‘No person is an island.’ It’s a concept that our islander cultures have known for millennia, and that my mother and father taught me as well: We are only as strong as our communities and our kinship to one another.”

Heine earned a master’s degree in education from UH ����ԴDz� and went on to become the first person in the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate degree. Prior to entering politics, she worked as a classroom teacher, school counselor, founding president of the College of Micronesia and secretary of education. She first served as president from 2016 to 2020, then won the presidency again in 2023. Alongside her focus on education, she has frequently addressed world leaders on climate change impacts, where her low-lying island nation is on the front lines. Under her leadership, the Marshall Islands became the first country to submit new, binding climate targets in line with the Paris Agreement.

The Women of Impact Award was presented to Heine, a former member of the East-West Center’s Board of Governors, by the board’s current chair, former �鶹��ý Gov. John Waiheʻe. Current �鶹��ý Gov. Josh Green presented Heine with an official proclamation honoring her for her contributions to women’s equality, climate advocacy, and educational progress in the Pacific.

The Women of Impact Award was established by the East-West Center Board of Governors in 2022 to recognize the important role of women’s leadership and impact in governance, diplomacy and society.

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Faculty in the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (DURP), conducted a summer course in Indonesia designed to enable students to appreciate challenges of urbanization, climate change and resilience in the Global South. This is the third year UH ����ԴDz� has offered a two-week immersive program in partnership with the urban and regional planning department at Diponegoro University (UNDIP) in Semarang.

“The courses offered faculty and students from both universities an opportunity to share their knowledge and creativity in responding to urban environmental problems,” said Priyam Das, an associate professor in DURP who co-designed the co-led joint course in Indonesia. “UH ����ԴDz� students learned about resilience and informality—of settlements, services and solutions—by engaging with local communities in Semarang.”

Neighborhood visits

During the course, students attended lectures, conducted field research, and visited local neighborhoods facing unique and significant challenges. Studio-style group work enabled students to collaboratively analyze problems and propose potential solutions. They shared their findings and ideas at public presentations that concluded the program.

“Immersive and collaborative international learning experiences are essential to equip future professionals with the skills and sensitivity needed to tackle the urban challenges of a globalized world,” said Ashok Das, an associate professor in DURP, who conceived the collaborative program and led its design.

Critical learning

UH ����ԴDz� graduate student Lahela Mattos took her first trip outside the U.S. to Indonesia. The kānaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiian) scholar is part of the program at DURP. She aspires to become a professional planner and create spaces that allow Indigenous peoples to reclaim and flourish their cultural identities.

“Being able to see the effects of SLR [sea level rise] really helped me to understand what we will be facing as urban planners…we realized that planning interventions are limited for places that have already been inundated,” Mattos said.

These courses have been partly supported by the LuceSEA Transitions: Environment, Society and Change grant awarded to UH ����ԴDz�’s and .

DURP is housed in the UH ����ԴDz� .