As the Taiwan Studies Program of the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington enters its fourth year, the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has provided a $1 million endowment to support the Program operations, and a further $800,000 grant to establish a Taiwan Arts and Culture program for the western United States. The gift and grant will strengthen Taiwan Studies at UW and introduce Taiwan artists and cultural exhibits to the Pacific Northwest.
UW President Ana Mari Cauce and Director-General Daniel Kuo-ching Chen of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Seattle met on Tuesday, December 8th to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in a virtual signing ceremony.
“This MOU is an important achievement for the Taiwan Studies Program and for the Jackson School,” said Jackson School Director Leela Fernandes. “The Taiwan Studies program has become a distinguished member of the Jackson School’s thriving Asian Studies centers and programs. This will stand out in the national landscape of international studies schools.”
“Taiwan is important for social science and humanities research. It has transformed in three generations from an agrarian export economy to a global producer of cutting-edge technologies, and it is a rare example of peaceful transition from authoritarianism to resilient democracy,” said Jackson School Assistant Professor James Lin, a historian of modern Taiwan and Associate Chair of Taiwan Studies, and the first faculty to be hired by the program. “Thanks to historical influences and a vibrant civil society, Taiwan also has a unique arts and cultural presence which, with this support from the MOFA, we look forward to sharing with local and regional audiences in the coming years.”
The Taiwan Studies Program, established in 2017, is dedicated to research, teaching and outreach on Taiwan society and culture.
The MOU signing between the University of Washington and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Seattle. Dec. 8, 2020.