The Asia Research Centre (ARC) was founded in 1995 as a network of researchers working on Asia. The aim was to strengthen and promote Asian studies at CBS. In September 2002 an Advisory Board consisting of major business leaders and diplomats was formed in order to reach out to a wider community.

In 2003 the CBS President and the CBS Board decided to consider Asia a strategic priority area at CBS, and a formal Board consisting of the two department heads from IKL and INT, the Director of the Asia Business Forum and the Programme Director of the Asian Studies Programme was established. In 2005 the Director of the Centre for Business and Politics (CBP) was also appointed to the board. The above are the main stakeholders of ARC, although the Centre has increasingly been allocated wider responsibilities in terms of initiating and supporting Asia-related research at CBS as a whole, often on behalf of the President's Office.

Since 2006 the Centre's budget became part of the regular budgeting structure of the faculty and the Centre was allocated permanent status by the CBS Board.

ARC strives to initiate and stimulate Asia related research activities at CBS and to cooperate with local Danish partners as well as with international partners in Europe, Asia, and the US. You can read more about ARC's research profile here.