The Institute for Indian Ocean Heritage (IIOH) has launched recently. From the IIOH's mission statement:
"The IIOH is a multi-dimensional institute that combines cutting-edge research with the innovative application of ideas to open-up operational, value-added approaches in Indian Ocean heritage. The IIOH is a ‘global’ template for new ways of engaging the human past and present for the future...
"The IIOH brings the Indian Ocean and its communities and pasts to the center of global scholarship, policy, public education, and tourism about heritage. IIOH members conduct responsible archaeological field projects, create heritage databases, and publish scholarly findings. Operating at the interface of heritage and stakeholders, IIOH members document and conserve heritage, advocate for ethical policies and practices that enhance the visibility and resiliency of heritage, educate invested parties, and through consultancy help to generate policies and outcomes that benefit stakeholders. The IIOH works closely with countries along the Indian Ocean rim, partnering with their governments, universities, and heritage institutes. In addition, the IIOH partners with multi-lateral agencies, like the Indian Ocean Rim Association and UNESCO, to preserve Indian Ocean heritage, tangible and intangible."