The Royal Institute of Linguistics and Anthropology of Leyden which was founded in 1851, has as objective ‘Furthering the study of the languages, geography, ethnology and history of Southeast Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean and adjacent areas’ (article II of the Institute's statutes, 1976). This objective it tries to achieve through:

a. the establishment, maintenance and extension of the necessary scientific and administrative apparatus, in particular the library and other scientific departments;

b. the publication of a journal entitled Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde, and other works;

c. the stimulation of scientific research, particularly in consultation with the Minister of Education and Science;

d. the maintenance of relations with other scientific organisations and institutions, inter alia through an exchange of publications.