Taiwan as a pioneer - Transferphase
Taiwan as a Pioneer receives funding for a final transferphase
The project addresses Taiwan's role as an innovator in the dynamics of global megatrends. It aims to transfer knowledge from the first project phase of the preceding collaborative project "Taiwan as a Pioneer" (February 2022 to January 2026). In this year, TAP will increase awareness of the collaborative project's results, expand the established interdisciplinary research network beyond the project partners, and reaches out to societal actors beyond the realm of academia. The targeted goals involve:
- The permanent institutionalisation of Taiwan studies within the sinological community through the development of an interdisciplinary network
- Knowledge transfer via the project's database to long-term archiving and the publication of the collaborative book project of Taiwan studies
- The development of a portal for Taiwan studies within Trier University's digital infrastructure, providing user-friendly public access via two publication platforms – the "TAPHub“ database
The project pursues the overarching goal of strengthening and networking Taiwan studies within the small field of Sinology.
Activities 2026
TAPT: International Workshop: „Shifting Crisis Changing Taiwan in a Challenging International Environment“
Application-deadline extended until April 24th.
The project Taiwan as a Pioneer (TAP) invites academics and early career researchers working on related topics to participate in the 5th International Workshop from 23 to 25 September 2026 at Trier University. TAP invites submissions that explore challenges affecting Taiwan (including security threats, energy shortages, tech wars, foreign policy changes, migration etc.) and local responses within Taiwan (climate change responses, innovation technologies, digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, demographic changes).
“TAPT: Current Trends in Teaching and Research on Taiwan” Taiwan as a Pioneer: Local Innovation Amid the Dynamics of Global Megatrends
This year, TAPT is offering an initiative to support emerging scholars in the field of Taiwan studies. The call for applications is open to all students who have studied Taiwan as part of their academic program or who have conducted research on current trends and topics in Taiwan studies, the working-language will be German.
Applications for participation and funding for the workshop “Taiwan as a Pioneer: Local Innovation in the Dynamics of Global Megatrends” on July 3 and 4, 2026, in Trier will be accepted until April 17, 2026.
Between Narrative and Fieldwork Experience
Lecture Announcement: On June 11, 2026, Dr. Josie-Marie Perkuhn will deliver a lecture titled “Between Narrative and Fieldwork Experience” at National Taiwan Normal University.
TAPT @ CEEasia Forum 2026
On April 21st 2026, Dr. Perkuhn participated in the panel discussion titled “Friends in need, friends indeed: Where is Europe-Taiwan cooperation headed?”, which took place as part of the CEEasia Forum 2026 on April 20th and 21st in Bratislava.
Local Innovation in the Dynamics of Global Megatrends — Retrospect 2025: A project review
Lecture Announcement: On April 16, 2026, Dr. Josie-Marie Perkuhn will give a lecture on the work and findings of TAP as part of the Vienna Taiwan Lecture Series organized by the Vienna Center for Taiwan Studies (VCTS).
TAPT @ EATS 2026
The 23rd Annual Conference of the European Association of Taiwan Studies was held at the University of Portsmouth from April 1–4, 2026. Dr. Perkuhn presented her current research on “Forging the Next Generation: Taiwan’s International-driven Partnerships for Technology, Innovation and Education” on April 3 during the panel on “Taiwan and Europe Now,” moderated by Bogdan Zemanek, with co-panelists Klára Schwarzová and Grygori Riy.
