华侨华人研究是暨南大学重要的学术传统和特色。早在1927年，暨南大学便成立了南洋文化教育事业部，开展东南亚及华侨华人的研究。1981年，经教育部批准，暨南大学在全国率先成立华侨华人研究的专门学术机构——华侨研究所，由著名学者朱杰勤教授担任所长。1984年在国内招收首批华侨史方向博士研究生。1996年后华侨华人研究被纳入国家211工程1-3期重点学科建设行列，2000年获批教育部人文社科重点研究基地（华侨华人研究）。2006年11月，学校成立华侨华人研究院。
为进一步彰显暨南大学科研特色，整合学校国际关系和华侨华人研究及其他相关领域研究的力量，推动华侨华人研究学科的发展，学校在2011年再度推出重大举措，成立暨南大学国际关系学院/华侨华人研究院，并设立以校领导为组长，由国际关系学院/华侨华人研究院、新闻与传媒学院、管理学院、华文学院、外国语学院、文学院及各主管部处领导组成的华侨华人研究领导小组，组织协调华侨华人研究。
新时期的华侨华人研究院将以中国和平发展的战略需求为导向，立足于为国家的改革开放和现代化建设服务、为社会服务，致力于多学科和国际视野下的前沿研究，优化重组各相关机构的基础条件和研究力量，引进高水平人才，争创华侨华人研究优势学科创新平台，努力把基地建设成为世界一流的学术研究机构和人才培养基地。
基地学术刊物有《东南亚研究》和《海外华人研究》，研究院还与学校图书馆共建华侨华人研究文献中心。
The Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies is an important research base with academic traditions in JinanUniversity. In early 1927, the university has already set up the Bureau for Nanyang Cultural Activities and searched for talent to conduct research in Southeast Asian and Overseas Chinese Studies. In 1981, permitted by the Ministry of Education, the university took the nationwide initiative in establishing the specific academic institute---Institute of Overseas Chinese Studies to focus research on Overseas Chinese. The institute appointed Professor Jieqin ZHU as the director, who was well-known in Overseas Chinese studies. In 1984, the institute began to recruit the first round doctors in history of Overseas Chinese studies. In 1996, the research issue of Overseas Chinese studies was successfully got involved in Key Discipline Construction of National 211 Project. After that, the Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Science under Ministry of Education (Overseas Chinese Studies) was set up in 2000. In November 2006, the university built up the Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies.
To further present the research characteristics of JinanUniversity, integrate the strengths of international studies, Overseas Chinese studies and other related areas, and better promote the discipline development of Overseas Chinese studies, in 2011, the university put forward major programs to integrate the School of International Studies and Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies. The School and Academy was directly charged by university top leaders, and the Leading Group of Overseas Chinese Studies composed of the leaders from other research fields.
The Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies in new era will stick the strategy of China peaceful development as the guide, base on the opening reform policy, the principle of serving for modernization and society, focus on the cutting edge research of multi-disciplines under the international perspective, optimize and reorganize the basis and research strength of all related departments, attract top talents, strive for an innovative platform of dominant discipline in Overseas Chinese Studies, and make efforts to build up a world class academic research base as well as a training base.
The research base has set up several academic journals, including Southeast Asian Studies and Global Chinese Review. Apart from these publications, the Academy also built the Documentation Center of Overseas Chinese Studies with university library.
