# France-Asia Research Institute
**Wikidata**: [Q98969262](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q98969262)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/france-asia-research-institute

## Summary
The France-Asia Research Institute (IRFA) is a multidisciplinary organization based in Paris that operates as a research institute, archives, library, and media library. Established in 2019, it is dedicated to generating new knowledge through systematic investigation, distinct from universities by focusing purely on research rather than teaching. The institute is physically located at 28 rue de Babylone in Paris and maintains a digital presence at irfa.paris.

## Key Facts
- **Also Known As**: IRFA
- **Established**: 2019
- **Location**: 28 rue de Babylone, 75007 Paris, France
- **Country**: France
- **Website**: https://irfa.paris (Available in French and English)
- **Organization Type**: Research institute, Archives, Media library, Library
- **Owner**: Q2860451
- **ISNI**: 0000000088087569
- **VIAF ID**: 266685992
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n99261042
- **Bibliothèque Nationale de France ID**: 13320479w
- **Wikidata ID**: Q31855 (Class)
- **Wikimedia Commons Category**: Institut de recherche France-Asie

## FAQs
### Q: What distinguishes the France-Asia Research Institute from a university?
While universities balance teaching and research missions, the France-Asia Research Institute exists purely to conduct research and manage archival resources. It does not typically grant degrees or provide undergraduate education, allowing it to concentrate resources solely on investigation and knowledge preservation.

### Q: What resources and facilities does the institute offer?
The institute functions as a hybrid entity combining a research organization with archives, a library, and a media library. This structure supports its primary purpose of generating new knowledge through systematic investigation while preserving cultural and historical data.

### Q: How is the institute classified in library and knowledge systems?
The organization is mapped to schema.org/ResearchOrganization and recognized under the Geonames feature code S.ITTR for geographic identification. In library science, it falls under Dewey Decimal Classification 001.406, differentiating it from scientific societies, think tanks, and corporate research centers.

### Q: Who owns or operates the France-Asia Research Institute?
The institute is owned by the entity identified as Q2860451. It operates as a standalone organization with specific classification as a research institute rather than a sub-unit of a larger corporation.

## Why It Matters
The France-Asia Research Institute serves as a dedicated engine of discovery, free from the teaching obligations that often divide university researchers' attention. By concentrating resources and talent purely on investigation and archiving, the organization accelerates breakthroughs and preserves vital historical records. It provides a space where researchers can pursue long-term, high-risk inquiry that might not fit within commercial or academic timelines.

In an era where innovation drives economic competitiveness and addresses global challenges, research institutes like IRFA represent critical infrastructure for advancing human knowledge. Unlike think tanks, which primarily focus on policy influence, this institute pursues fundamental inquiry across disciplines, serving as a distinct organizational form in the landscape of knowledge-producing institutions.

## Notable For
- **Multifaceted Classification**: Unique status as a combined research institute, archives, media library, and library.
- **Dedicated Research Focus**: Existing specifically to generate knowledge without the distraction of degree-granting or undergraduate teaching.
- **Global Cataloging Recognition**: Indexed by major global authorities including the Library of Congress, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, and VIAF.
- **Bilingual Accessibility**: Offering web resources in both French and English to broaden accessibility.
- **Distinction from Policy Groups**: Differentiated from think tanks by its broader disciplinary scope and focus on fundamental inquiry over policy advocacy.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
The France-Asia Research Institute, abbreviated as IRFA, represents a distinct organizational form in the landscape of knowledge-producing institutions. Established in 2019, the entity is formally classified under multiple types, functioning simultaneously as a **research institute**, **archives**, **media library**, and **library**. 

As a research institute, its primary purpose is to conduct research, differentiating it from universities or companies that may include research as only one of several functions. The organization is mapped to `schema.org/ResearchOrganization` for structured data purposes and is assigned the Geonames feature code **S.ITTR** for geographic identification. In library science contexts, it falls under Dewey Decimal Classification **001.406**.

### Location and Contact Details
The institute is physically situated in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.
- **Street Address**: 28 rue de Babylone
- **Postal Code**: 75007
- **Country**: France

Its official website is accessible at **https://irfa.paris**, which provides content in both French and English.

### Organizational Structure and Ownership
The institute operates as an operational entity conducting hands-on investigation and archiving, distinct from membership-based organizations like scientific societies or learned societies. It is owned by the entity **Q2860451**. Unlike think tanks, which focus on policy-oriented research to influence government decisions, the France-Asia Research Institute pursues fundamental inquiry. It is also distinct from "research centers," which are often sub-units within larger organizations, whereas IRFA functions as a defined institute.

### Authority Control and Identifiers
The organization is cataloged in major national and international bibliographic databases, signifying its formal recognition in the academic and library sectors.
- **ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier)**: 0000000088087569
- **VIAF (Virtual International Authority File)**: 266685992
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n99261042
- **Bibliothèque Nationale de France ID**: 13320479w

### Digital Presence and Media
The institute maintains a presence on Wikimedia Commons under the category **Institut de recherche France-Asie**. While the concept of "research institutes" generally has broad global recognition across 41 Wikipedia languages, this specific entity currently has a sitelink count of 1, indicating a developing digital footprint on open knowledge platforms compared to the broader concept of research institutes.