The University of Vienna is the only university in Austria that offers a graduate program in Sinology. The Vienna Center for Taiwan Studies was formally established in the Department of East Asian Studies/ Sinology, at the University of Vienna in December 2009. The Center is dedicated to fostering the study and research of Taiwan related topics within the broader field of Sinology at the university, and contributes towards a better understanding of cross-strait relations and Chinese culture.

The Vienna Center for Taiwan Studies has received funding support from Taiwan’s Ministry of Education since 2012. In August 2015, the two parties signed their most recent memorandum of understanding, with Prof. Dr. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik, the Vice-Rector, signing on behalf of the University of Vienna, and Wang Hsiang-yuan, Director of the Education Division in Vienna, signing on behalf of the Ministry of Education.

The MOU ensures Ministry of Education support of the Vienna Center for Taiwan Studies for the next three years, to enable the Center to encourage, support, and develop research on and teaching about Taiwan in the Department of East Asian Studies/Sinology and at the University of Vienna. Annual activities undertaken include having Taiwanese experts make research exchange visits to Vienna; inviting European experts on Taiwan Studies to engage in teaching and/or research there; and holding a series of seminars on Taiwan for master’s degree students which will culminate in the publication of an externally peer-reviewed book in the Vienna Taiwan Studies Series.