Ms. Weng Chin-Ying (left), the Director of the Education Division in Berlin, and Prof. Dr. Barbara Mittler, Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies at the University of Heidelberg after signing the MOU supporting a Taiwan Studies program

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Berlin on November 5th 2015 by Ms. Weng Chin-Ying (left), the Director of the Education Division of the Taipei Representative Office in Germany, on behalf of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China(Taiwan), and Prof. Dr. Barbara Mittler, Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies at the University of Heidelberg.

The University of Heidelberg is one of the top universities in Germany, not least because of its highly reputed Chinese Studies programs and research, and having the Germany’s largest East Asian Media Centre. This MOU will anchor the cooperative funding of both parties to promote a Taiwan Studies program at the university for a period of 3 years, from 2015 till 2018.

The title of this Taiwan Studies program is Reading Taiwan, Living Taiwan, Understanding Taiwan. On one hand it will offer students and researchers a range of lectures, workshops, and specialized courses on aspects of Taiwanese history, society, and culture, and also a language course teaching a local Taiwanese language, known as “Taiwanese Hokkien” or “Taiyu”. On the other hand, it will provide support for students and researchers to spend time in Taiwan, to undertake small and large research projects, and for teaching exchanges with Taiwan.

It is envisaged that these activities will generate more and better understanding of Taiwan.