Taiwan studies strengthened at ANU

The Australian National University(ANU) has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China (Taiwan), to extend the highly successful Taiwan Studies program for another three years.

This Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 8 November, 2013 at a ceremony attended by ANU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Young AO, Taiwan Representative Ms. Katharine Chang and Mr. Yuri Yao-tsung Chih, Executive Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia.

The Taiwanese Studies program is based at the Chinese Program of the College of Asia and the Pacific’s School of Culture, History and Language.

“Taiwan Studies are of the utmost importance to the ANU Chinese Studies programme, because Taiwan has so effectively preserved its traditional culture and its traditional way of life.… It is also an outstanding example of pluralism.” says Professor John Minford of the ANU School of Culture, Language and History.

This program continues to be generously funded by the Taiwan government, and aside from a sum of US$100,000 per annum for a senior academic for three years, it also includes ongoing support for postgraduate study and for regular visits to the ANU by distinguished Taiwan scholars.

Professor Hsin-Tien Liao has now returned to the National Taiwan University of the Arts in Taipei, whose celebrated alumni includes film director Ang Lee.