Academic research policy
Description of Hakka knowledge system platform and Hakka academic study
- Post Date:2006-01-02
The issue of how to pool universities’ resources in order to upgrade Hakka academic study and promote development of Hakka knowledge system has always been our concern. It has been our wish to enlarge Hakka knowledge social group, and develop the space for development of Hakka study in an effort to allow Hakka study to become an integral part of academic mainstream.
With the assistance of CHA, the wish is being materialized. National Central University on June 12, 2003 established the world’s first College of Hakka Studies and began recruiting students. National Chiao Tung University on March 7, 2004 established College of Hakka Studies and began recruiting students in the summer of the same year along with College of Hakka of National United University. National Kaohsiung Normal University on October 28, 2004 established The Institute of Hakka Studies. It is obvious Hakka studies have established their cornerstone in Taiwan’s higher education system.
In future, depending on the characteristics of the colleges of Hakka studies of different universities, CHA will continue to promote the building of the focus of Hakka studies in Northern and Southern Taiwan. In addition, by taking into account different universities’ specialties, the focus of Hakka studies in Southern Taiwan can be coordinated by National Kaohsiung Normal University, Meiho Institute of Technology, and National PingTung University of Science & Technology, whereas the focus of Hakka studies in Northern Taiwan coordinated by National Central University, National Chiao Tung University, and National United University. Meantime, inter-university Hakka culture courses are to be promoted to take full advantage of academic research resources, creating a perpetual development environment for Hakka studies.
In order to encourage academics, experts, individuals engaging in Hakka studies, and graduate school students to engage in Hakka studies, CHA has drawn up plans to subsidize Hakka academic studies, and theses and dissertations on Hakka studies. The subsidy covers a number of subjects ranging from migration and development, folk customs and beliefs, architecture and landscape, art and culture, linguistics, society and economy, industrial history, and people and ecology. In addition, to bolster the foundation for Hakka studies, CHA has drawn up Rules Governing Subsidizing Purchase and Collection of Hakka-related Books and Information. The rules aim to subsidize purchase and collection of Hakka-related books and information by universities or academic research institutions having a college or department of Hakka studies, or courses on Hakka studies. In order to make Hakka academic studies information available to the public, National Central Library has been commissioned to establish Taiwan Hakka Digital Library. All Hakka books and literature have been compiled, digitized, and made available to the public for query and reference.
Interested parties are welcomed to visit CHA website at: http://www.hakka.gov.tw.
