Columbia Global Centers | Beijing is a research facility established by Columbia University in Beijing, China, and is a part of the Columbia Global Centers network. Founded in March 2009, it aims to facilitate Columbia University with research and other events throughout the region. Xiaobo Lü, professor of political science at Barnard College and former director of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia, served as the first Director of the East Asia center, followed by Chinese economist Geng Xiao.