SOAS Centre of Taiwan Studies Awarded Major Research Funding

24 November 2021

On November 23, 2021, SOAS University of London signed a major agreement with Taiwan to promote the School’s Taiwan Studies programme between 2021 and 2024.The research grant includes funding for the SOAS Taiwan Studies Programme’s small research seminars, policy related events, large annual lectures, film screenings, postgraduate summer school, annual international workshops, and research publication projects. The signing ceremony was held at SOAS and the agreement was signed by the Taiwan Representative to the United Kingdom Kelly Wu-Chiao Hsieh and the SOAS Director Professor Adam Habib.

The SOAS Taiwan Programme was established in 1999 and has rapidly expanded over the last two decades, developing the reputation as the world’s leading Centre of Taiwan Studies. It now hosts the only MA in Taiwan Studies and the most extensive range of Taiwan related teaching modules. From just holding a handful of Taiwan Studies events a year in its early period, SOAS now hosts the most extensive academic events programme of any European university, often holding  over 60 events a year. It has also become a leading promoter of Taiwan Studies publications through the Taiwan book series established in 2009 and the International Journal of Taiwan Studies, edited by its Research Associate Ming-yeh Rawnsley.

Speaking after the ceremony, Centre of Taiwan Studies Director Dafydd Fell, commented, ‘This is a special moment in the history of Taiwan Studies at SOAS. This new research grant comes just a couple of months after we signed a similar agreement to support the SOAS Taiwan Studies teaching programme. We’ve come through a challenging period during the Covid crisis, which meant our teaching and events had to move online for 18 months. After so long online, we’re loving teaching Taiwan again in the classrooms. We’re also now excited about the next three years as we will be able to organize a mix of both in person and online Taiwan Studies events.’