I am honored and excited to introduce myself to readers, authors, and reviewers as the new Editor of Education About Asia (EAA). I want to thank the EAA Transition Committee for ushering EAA into its exciting next phase of development and for entrusting me with this important role. Together with Jon Wilson, who has joined the journal as Managing Editor, I am committed to preserving the journal’s reputation as a high-quality, peer-reviewed publication with a wide readership and high social impact.

After a brief hiatus following the retirement and untimely passing of founding Editor Lucien Ellington, EAA is being relaunched as a biannual, open-access online publication. I’m happy to share that our inaugural online-only issue is slated to be published in Spring 2026 and will feature a number of feature articles, teaching resources, and a special section on Japanese Monsters/Yōkai.

In addition to this announcement, I would also like to take this opportunity to share four key tenets of my vision for the future direction of the journal.

1. Open Access: EAA is transitioning to a subscription-free model. In a landscape where quality Asian Studies teaching resources are scarce and vital educational resources are being reduced or eliminated, it is imperative that Education About Asia is and remains open access. The information that has the greatest influence over how the public understands and approaches Asia is that which is accessible online and freely available to all; therefore, it is essential that human content experts participate in the production of that content.
2. Practical Classroom Resources: Beginning with our Spring 2026 issue, EAA is increasing its emphasis on practical materials immediately applicable to classroom teaching and use by requiring that all articles include a pedagogical resource component such as discussion questions, suggestions for class activities, and assessment strategies. These additional resources will further our mission by making it easier for classroom teachers to integrate EAA articles into their curricula.
3. Multimedia Content: With the new online format, EAA is now actively soliciting multimedia materials, such as video highlights and podcasts, to reflect contemporary learning trends whereby people are taking in more and more of their information through audio and visual media.
4. Participatory Community: EAA is a unique forum where content experts, classroom teachers, students, and the general public come together to learn about Asia. My ultimate vision for EAA is to build a community where faculty, teachers, and students are invited to contribute, respond, and participate in the production of reliable knowledge and resources. In other words, EAA is not just a place to get information from an expert (or AI), but rather an intellectual community where human authors and readers come together to engage and explore mutual interest in Asian Studies. In Spring 2026, we will be piloting “video introductions” to help readers recognize and connect with EAA authors. We also invite readers to reach out directly with suggestions and ideas for how to increase participation and engagement with EAA.

As EAA relaunches online, the journal will continue to focus on equipping educators with the resources necessary to introduce and enhance the study of Asia within their curricula. Our ultimate mission is to help students succeed as informed global citizens in a world where Asia is not only home to more than half of the population, but also represents a significant portion of the global economy, political landscape, and cultural vanguard.

If you also believe in this mission and want to know how you can become more involved with supporting the journal (as an author, a peer reviewer, or to donate to help EAA remain open access), please feel free to reach out to me at EAAeditor@asianstudies.org at any time. I am looking forward to keeping in touch with authors and readers as we work hard to realize this vision of EAA together!

Sincerely,

Elise Huerta