Institutional Overview

Established in 2018 under the joint patronage of China's Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipal Government, SAGGAS operates as a pioneering research institute hosted by Shanghai International Studies University (SISU).

Positioned as a national hub for global governance and area studies, SAGGAS integrates disciplinary excellence with strategic policymaking to address complex global challenges. Governed by the SAGGAS Council, the Academy fosters high-level knowledge production, talent cultivation, international collaboration, and policy innovation.

Research Focus

SAGGAS spearheads interdisciplinary research in Global European Studies, structured around three interconnected strategic pillars: European Studies, Russia-Eurasian Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies. Distinctive to SAGGAS' approach is its focus on civilizational dialogue and historical-ideational traditions, which provide critical lenses to decode evolving geopolitical landscapes. Leveraging its strengths in humanities — particularly linguistics, cultural and art history, ethnography, anthropology — the Academy bridges disciplines such as political science, economics, sociology, education to deliver actionable insights.

Key research areas include

• Geopolitical Analysis: Regional integration (e.g., EU, SCO) and transnational governance frameworks.

• Civilizational Dynamics: Comparative studies of global civilizations and their intercultural exchanges.

• Data Intelligence: Development of AI-powered platforms for real-time country and region monitoring.

Strategic Missions：For a World-Grounded Scholarship

SAGGAS bridges ancient wisdom with tomorrow’s governance — decoding global complexities, shaping policy frontiers, and driving transformative outcomes through evidence-based scholarship.We discover, learn and impact on the Ground.

Language Resources

Instruction in 39 languages.

Modern Languages

Chinese, English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian, Greek, Romanian, Dutch, Czech, Russian, Uzbek, Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu, Persian, Khmer, Korean, Japanese, Yiddish

Classical and Ancient Languages

Latin, Akkadian, Classical Arabic, Classical Hebrew, Ancient Egyptian, Hittite, Sumerian, Classical Greek, Sanskrit, Ancient North Arabian, Phoenician-Punic, Classical Ethiopic, Classical Syriac, Aramaic, Ugaritic, Ancient South Arabian, Eblaite

Academic Programs

SAGGAS adopts an integrated model based on the Multilingual+ and AHG+ (Anthropology-History-Geography) frameworks. With a three-pronged approach — coursework, fieldwork, and research practice — we prepare graduates who possess advanced multilingual abilities, in-depth knowledge of specific countries and regions, and specialized expertise in global affairs, diplomacy, and international development.

Undergraduate

Minor in Area Studies Applications (15 credits).

Graduate

MA/PhD in Area Studies: Interdisciplinary curriculum blending fieldwork, data analysis, and policy simulations.

Specialized Tracks: European Studies, Eurasian studies, Arab States Studies, and Global comparative education studies.

Short-term Visiting Programs (1–6 months).

Sample Courses

Classical Case Studies in Area Studies

Comparative Studies of World Civilizations

World Art History

Globalization and Global Governance

Data Science and Area Studies

Frontiers in European Studies

Europe: A Philosophical History

The European Union: Politics and Economy

Political Thought in Eurasia

The Arab States

Gandhara Art and Culture

International Development Assistance