Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) is a new approach to conceptualizing and  measuring  democracy. It is a collaboration among more than 50 scholars worldwide which is co-hosted by the Department of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden; and the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame, USA.

APISA, in cooperation with V-Dem, has established the V-Dem Regional Center for Northeast and Southeast Asia (V-Dem Asia) at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. This center will host the V-Dem database for Northeast and Southeast Asia, pioneer and initiate studies utilizing the V-Dem dataset, lead compiling, review, and updating of the V-Dem data for countries in Northeast and Southeast Asia from 2016 onwards.