International Portfolio
Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils
The Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC) is a non-political, not-for-profit regional organisation bringing together national social science academies, research councils, and institutes across the Asia-Pacific. Established in 1973, AASSREC aims to strengthen the development of and visibility of the social sciences in the region, while fostering a shared regional identity grounded in collaboration, knowledge exchange, and mutual learning.
The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia currently hosts the AASSREC Secretariat.
Visit the AASSREC website to learn more about the organisation’s history, members, and its programs, including information about the Boosting Social Sciences and their Contribution to Better Lives Across the Indo-Pacific Program, an initiative funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
International Science Council
The Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils was welcomed as a Member Organization to the International Science Council (ISC) in 2020, with the support of the Academy as Secretariat host. The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia joined the ISC as an affiliate member in the same year.
International Grants
The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia seeks to create collaborative international research opportunities for Australian social scientists, to represent Australian social sciences on the global stage, and to exercise leadership and promote equity and capacity in social science internationally.
Here you can find information about our current international collaborative grants programs, including information on eligibility and how to apply.
Australia–France Indo-Pacific Studies Program (AFIPS)
The 2024-2027 Australia–France Indo-Pacific Studies Program (AFIPS) is a flagship initiative delivered by the Academy with support from the Australian Government (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). As part of the Australia–France Roadmap: A New Agenda for Bilateral Cooperation the AFIPS program contributes to strengthen long-term academic, policy, and institutional linkages between Australia, France, and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
Australia-France Social Science Collaborative Workshops Program
The Academy is proud to administer the Social Science Collaborative Workshops Program in partnership with the Embassy of France in Australia from 2025-2028. This bilateral scheme, established in 2019 as a research grant initiative, will continue to support early and mid-career researchers from Australia and France to connect and foster partnerships with a shared commitment to social science research excellence.
Australia-China Joint Action Program
The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) are proud to administer the ASSA-CASS Joint Action Program.Established in 2009, these bilateral research grants support Australian social scientists to partner with a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences for projects related to one of the shared priority themes as agreed by our two academies.
International News
International team
Dr Claire Rioult
International Director
Prior to joining the Academy in November 2024, Claire was Lead Program Coordinator at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), where she helped design and deliver a broad range of professional development programs and events, including seminars, workshops, and trainings for government entities and Asia-Pacific partners.
She has also held roles in higher education at Flinders University, and previously worked in human resources management in the energy management and cybersecurity sectors for Schneider Electric and Thales Group in France, Singapore, and the P.R.C.
Claire holds a PhD in Early Modern History from Monash University and the University of Warwick (joint award). She also holds a Master’s Degree in History with a thesis on public health and maritime quarantine against the plague in eighteenth century France, and a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from Sciences Po in Paris, as well as a Bachelor of Arts. She speaks French, English, and Spanish, and understands Italian and Portuguese.
Anna Devenport
International Programs Officer
Anna’s qualifications include a MA in Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation under the UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies from the University of Innsbruck and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Queensland, and over 7 years experience in the social and community services sector. Originally from Meanjin/Brisbane, she is now based in Ngnunnawal/Canberra and is the keeper of the Academy National Office’s ‘emotional support officers’ – two cavalier king Charles spaniels called Lily and Eddie.