Information studies programs in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region cater to a range of economic and technological situations. They not only prepare information professionals for the modern networked global economy, but also emphasize the role of an information professional as an agent of change for guiding and stimulating the development of remote or backward regions and helping them access and use global information sources. This paper examines prevalent themes in a workshop on information studies education at the 2000 Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians, including: the social, economic, and political context of information studies programs; the convergence of multiple disciplines; the divergence of specializations; information technology in the curriculum; the quality of students; staffing; and obsolescence and change in information studies programs. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/MES)