A Message from the President
Academia Sinica, established in 1928, has flourished to become the most eminent research institution in Taiwan. From its inception, Academia Sinica has been committed to the unimpeded quest for knowledge and the pursuit of academic excellence. Today, Academia Sinica has expanded from its initial 5 research institutes to encompass 24 research institutes and preparatory offices and 7 research centers. Over the past years, dedicated researchers across the disciplines have made outstanding contributions to their fields of study, leading to path-breaking research discoveries, new knowledge paradigms, and innovative applications of newly acquired knowledge.
As the most prominent academic research institution in Taiwan, Academia Sinica has the mission to conduct cutting-edge research in the humanities and sciences, nurture academic talents, and issue policy advisories. Academia Sinica has been working wholeheartedly to formulate new approaches for academic research, assess research organization and reforms, facilitate academic cooperation and liaison between domestic and overseas institutes, as well as pursue projects to foster academic excellence.
In the past decade, researchers of Academia Sinica have demonstrated exceptional research capabilities. The number of papers published has steadily increased. According to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) of the US, 11 research fields of Academia Sinica rank in the top 1% of the world's research institutes for the number of times papers have been cited. The publications are remarkable both in terms of quality and quantity.
In order to promote closer international academic exchange, Academia Sinica held the Academy Presidents' Forum in 2008, inviting leaders of major scientific academies worldwide to combine their efforts to create a better future for humanity. Some of the key issues addressed at this forum were the restructuring of modern scientific academies to drive knowledge-based development and the role of science and technology in assuring sustainable development. In 2009, Academia Sinica held the International Forum on Technology Innovation and Social Responsibility. Internationally renowned scholars and entrepreneurs were invited to propose new directions for the role of scientific research and technological innovation in resolving pressing ecological and economic challenges. Numerous other international conferences and lectures including the "Academia Sinica Lecture" given by two Nobel Prize laureates Dr. Roger Y. Tsien and Dr. Roger D. Kornberg were also held.
In the past decades, Academia Sinica has advanced to the forefront of research in many areas of the humanities and the sciences, and has attracted many international collaborations and joint international conferences.
Creating an ideal climate for research and fostering young research talent has also been one of the primary goals of Academia Sinica. Over the past years, Academia Sinica has cooperated with research universities in Taiwan to establish Ph.D. programs in cutting-edge research fields, culminating in the establishment of the Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) in 2002. Many Ph.D. dissertations published in leading international journals have received broad acclaim. Most graduates continue to pursue research at internationally renowned research institutions and bio-technology companies. Some join companies in other areas of industry. Regardless of which direction they embark upon, the vast majority of TIGP graduates show excellent performance in their chosen fields.
Academia Sinica is committed to making important contributions to society through its research achievements. By assuring the protection of intellectual property rights, encouraging patent applications, increasing technology transfer, and holding joint conferences on research achievements with other domestic research institutions, Academia Sinica hopes to strengthen the cooperation between research and industry and assist the government in developing emerging industries. Academia Sinica researchers also have the responsibility to guide policy direction and formulate social issues. To accomplish these tasks, Academicians as well as domestic and foreign scholars are commissioned to form teams to carry out research on the most important academic-related development issues and subjects of concern to society. Suitable policy advisories are then submitted to the government for reference. A number of policy advisories have been issued in recent years, including "Energy Strategies in Response to Global Warming", "Analysis of Academic Competitiveness of Academia Sinica and Prospective Planning for Scientific and Technological Developments in Taiwan", and "Recommendations for Health Care Policies". Other policy advisories are currently underway including "Recommendations for Population Policies", "Environmental Change and Land Use Planning Proposals", "Recommendations for Laws for Differentiating Professors and Researchers from Civil Servants", and "Coping Strategies for Emerging Infectious Diseases".
In the future, Academia Sinica will continue to make every effort to build a superior research environment and raise the quality of academic research in Taiwan. In addition to integrating the existing resources, Academia Sinica is also planning the establishment of the National Biotechnology Research Park including a biotech incubator and various other research centers for translational research. Using sustainable eco-green architecture, an excellent research environment will be created for the formation of a biotechnology platform. The spirit of innovation and dedication to excellence among our researchers will undoubtedly allow Academia Sinica to conduct further ground-breaking research in the upcoming years, making lasting contributions to developments in Taiwan and throughout the world.
