ACLS Awards 2022 Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation New Professorship in Buddhist Studies

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to announce the 2022 Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation New Professorship in Buddhist Studies has been awarded to Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep in Bangkok, Thailand. The grant program, now in its sixth year, provides four years of seed funding to institutions of higher education to support new teaching positions in Buddhist studies.

Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep is the first Asian university to receive the grant, joining past recipients in Hungary, Mexico, and the United States. In 2021, ACLS was awarded a $6.3 million grant extension by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global to continue its Program in Buddhist Studies and expand its outreach to Asian scholars, universities, and monastic institutions to increase and diversify applicant pools to better reflect the communities of Buddhism scholars worldwide. 

“ACLS and The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global are committed to supporting and strengthening international networks of Buddhist studies, particularly across the continent of Asia,” said ACLS President Joy Connolly. “We are proud to award this year’s New Professorship to Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep and applaud their efforts in building a robust program in Buddhist Studies.”

The New Professorship grant has enabled the university to name Yaoping Liu as The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Professor in Buddhist Studies. As part of his responsibilities, Liu will oversee new graduate programs in Global Buddhism. These programs will help educate Buddhist monks, nuns, and laity in becoming leaders and innovators in the modern information-based, multicultural, and globalized world.

“The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation New Professorship will allow us to develop a graduate program that produces morally grounded and socially engaged Buddhist scholars capable of applying research and data for the betterment of Buddhism and society as a whole,” said Pichai Janmanee, President of Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep. “We are thankful to the Foundation and ACLS for their support and look forward to welcoming Dr. Yaoping Liu to campus in this new position.”

The Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep joins 24 other 2022 awardees in The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies. Established in 2014, the program has a core mission of promoting the study of Buddhism through competitions for fellowships and grants for scholars and institutions around the world.