The research program of GEAS is based on the systematic and comparative study of contemporary and modern East Asia in its wider global context. The research approach combines regional expertise with a strong focus on one or more social science disciplines.

Individual projects address specific topics within East Asia in the fields of politics, society, economy, culture, law and history. The research program of the Graduate School explores these fields in relation to key internal and external challenges, as well as the responses of East Asian countries to contemporary challenges with regional or global implications. This perspective emphasizes the transnational context of East Asia, as well as the influence of East Asia on the world.