The Consortium for Country and Area Studies (CCAS) is an international academic network initiated by the Global Alliance of Foreign Studies Universities (GAFSU), and was launched in Beijing on April 29, 2022, with its Secretariat hosted by Beijing Foreign Studies University.

GAFSU is an open, non-profit organization launched by Beijing Foreign Studies University in May 2017 in collaboration with 30 universities around the world featuring foreign language teaching and research, as well as country and area studies. Currently, GAFSU has 37 members from 19 countries.

The CCAS brings together nearly 200 reputed scholars in related fields from more than 180 countries around the world. Researchers are invited to join the CCAS voluntarily and on an individual basis to jointly promote Country and Area Studies.

CCAS is dedicated to crossing disciplinary boundaries and exploring the question of scope and relevance of Country and Area Studies, responding to new realities, problems and challenges at national, regional, and global levels, and integrating Country and Area Studies with traditional disciplines such as foreign language and literature, history, politics, economics, management, law, media and communication in terms of talent development and knowledge innovation. It also strives to enhance mutual understanding among peoples in the world to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

The motto of CCAS is “Better Understanding, Better World”. Pooling knowledge and wisdom of scholars from around the world, the Consortium is committed to the principles of "Diversity in Perspectives, Inclusiveness in Coverage, Originality in Research, and Depth in Understanding". It also works to promote research on global issues and global governance.

CCAS pools researchers globally to build a high-caliber academic platform for synergetic cooperation and will organize academic visits to BFSU and other GAFSU universities, promote joint research, organize international conferences, and publish research outcomes. It will also provide public goods, strategic thinking, and recommendations for the development and innovation of this emerging discipline and promote dialogue and mutual learning between Chinese and international scholars.