Leiden is internationally renowned for its Asian studies and material collections. It is the only university in the Netherlands that offers bachelor and master specialisations specialised in China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Tibet. This master specialisation combines the study of material culture with theoretical approaches. Students study the formative processes that shaped the Asian past, and reflect on the current state and character of Asian archaeological practice.

East-Asian archaeology research (China, Korea and Japan) has a special focus on pre- and proto-history. Archaeology of Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand) specialises in trade and cultural contacts and material expressions of the major states, particularly religious architecture and iconography. Specialisation in two major regions is possible. Museum internships can be explored as opportunities for more in-depth study of the material culture.