A unique spanish guidebook with practical information about Asia
By César de Prado Yepes
The first Asia-Europe summit in Bangkok in March this year, showed the great need to bring both continents closer together and especially for Europe to learn more about Asia. This may be done by a number of measures, in which the support of information and educational exchanges is one of the most important one. One can expect that Oriéntate en Oriente will greatly help in this difficult task.
Although this edition is in Spanish and some information appeals mainly to Spaniards, much of the content would be very helpful to anyone in Europe interested in taking advantage of the wealth of possibilities to study, work, travel, or live in a globalized world. It is possible that a European edition in English will be published in the future.
The first edition of Oriéntate en Oriente is published by the 'Fundación Universidad Empresa' of Madrid, a semi-private foundation dedicated to the promotion of academic and work related activities. The author has also received the collaboration of Florentino Rodao of the 'Instituto Complutense de Asia' who, in his prologue, explores the history of orientalism in Spain.
Despite its long history of contacts with Asia and other parts of the world, Spain has only
in the past few years stressed its external economic, cultural and political dimension. To this
end, a number of academic institutions have started to offer in their curricula some courses
or seminars on Asia. But it has been the decisive impulse of Florentino Rodao which has
made the Universidad Complutense de Madrid the only university in Spain to offer
programmes on Asia at the Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels.
Oriéntate en Oriente should also contribute to the efforts in Spain to
catch up with other European countries in the field of Asian Studies.
The guidebook, with more than 200 pages of information and an alphabetical index listing
around 800 entries, is the synthesis of many hard-to-find guides and a thorough personal
research. It compares and contrasts all the sources so as to quickly guide the reader and give
him or her the precise value to each entry. Also, full addresses to most of the entries are
provided.
Contents
Oriéntate en Oriente is divided into 18 sections. It begins with the
possibilities to study Asian languages in Spain, the rest of Europe and Asia. Of interest to
those already hooked up to the information society is an introduction to the possibilities to
be found using computers and telecommunications modems. Then the guide takes the reader
to the possibilities of Asian studies in Spain, the whole of Europe and the rest of the world.
It also lists the main academic associations related to Asian Studies.
Then, there are two sections on programmes of international relations and international business all over Europe and beyond followed by a section on studying in Asian countries. Scientists looking for information to do research in Japan will also find valuable information in this section.
Given the great expenses often involved in studying or doing research in East Asia, the reader will find a detailed account of the possibilities provided by Spanish, European, Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese sources of scholarships and financial aids to study or investigate in that part of the world. Later in the book one also finds information on prizes and other events aimed at young Europeans. The guide also wants to be of use to young students so it presents the most relevant high school international exchange programmes.
The guide continues with information about international work possibilities. It starts exploring some sources in Asian related business jobs, including various opportunities for medium-term training in a number of business sectors given by Spanish and European administrations. Later, it pays special attention to the world of Spanish and multilateral diplomacy. Next it gives an overview on the activities of non-governmental organizations. The following section deals with the international business information and promotion activities of Spanish national and local governments.
Three sections can be found presenting sources of information aimed to the public in general. First are the activities of the international press and media. Then data on libraries and archives, including a list of the libraries around the world specialized in Asian subjects and finally there is information on the main bookstores in Spain and beyond dealing with international and Asian subjects.
Then there is a section on Asian art, culture, and religion listing all the museums in Spain with Asian art collections. The reader will become acquainted with some aspects of Asian cinema, cuisine, martial arts, as well as the activities of some cultural associations in Spain and in Japan. There is also a list of sister-city programmes between Spanish and East Asian cities.
The last two section are helpful to find the best travel and living arrangements for those going to Asia on their own. It presents travel guidebooks, tourist information centres and travel agencies specialised in Asia. And the reader will find information on homestay programmes in Japan and China as well as details on other living arrangements in Japan.
For more information please contact:
César de Prado Yepes
European University Institute
Badia Fiesolana - Via dei Roccettini 9
I - 50016 San Domenico di Fiesole
Firenze
Italy
Fax: +39-55-599887
Email: deprado@datacomm.iue.it
or
Florentino Rodao
Instituto Complutense de Asia
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
E- 28223 Madrid
Spain
Fax: +34-1-3942488
Email: Iasia02@sis.ucm.es