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• This Act is enacted in accordance with Article 17 of the Republic of China (R.O.C.) Office of the President Organization Act.
• Academia Sinica is the preeminent academic research institution in the R.O.C. Its missions are as follows:
  • conduct research on a broad spectrum of subjects in the sciences and humanities;
  • guide, coordinate, encourage, and reward academic research;
  • nourish highly-trained academic research talent.
• The President of Academia Sinica, of special appointment rank, is in charge of the overall affairs of Academia Sinica. He (she) is assisted by two or three Vice Presidents with the official rank equivalent to the 14th grade of civil servants.
  Three candidates for the Presidency are selected by the Council of Academia Sinica from the academicians, then one is appointed by the resident of R.O.C. Vice Presidents are selected from the academicians and appointed by the President.
  The President of Academia Sinica shall serve a term of five years. He (she) may serve a second term if re-elected.
• Those who meet one of the following qualifications may be elected to be Academicians of Academia Sinica:
  • have made outstanding contributions to their areas of research; or
  • have been an outstanding leader of their research institutes or have been a principal investigator with outstanding achievements for at least five years.

  Academician of Academia Sinica is a lifelong, non-remunerated position.

• Academicians of Academia Sinica are elected every two years at the Convocation of Academicians. The number of Academicians to be elected each time shall not exceed 40.
  The Convocation of Academicians is chaired by the President of Academia Sinica. When the President is not able to chair, one of the Vice Presidents shall be assigned by the President to act as chair.
• The election of the Academicians shall be based on nominations by universities, prestigious professional associations and institutions ; or on nomination by at least 5 Academicians and Council Members of Academia Sinica.The list of candidates to become an Academician is determined by the Council of Academia Sinica.
  The Regulations for the Election of Academicians of Academia Sinica are enacted by the Council of Academia Sinica.
• Academicians of Academia Sinica should be divided among the following four divisions, and the number of Academicians for each division is decided by the Council of Academia Sinica:
  • Mathematics and Physical Sciences;
  • Engineering Sciences;
  • Life Sciences;
  • Humanities and Social Sciences.
• The authoritative duties of the Academicians are as follows:
  • vote for Academicians and Honorary Academicians;
  • vote for Council Members;
  • plan for the directions of national academic research;
  • carry out academic planning, surveying, reviewing, and research as authorized by the government and relevant organizations.

  The regulations for the Convocation of Academicians of Academia Sinica are enacted by the Council of Academia Sinica and promulgated by the President.

• Those who meet the following qualifications may become an Honorary Academician of Academia Sinica:
  A foreign scholar or expert who has made outstanding contributions to academia and is nominated to the Convocation of Academicians of Academia Sinica by at least 10 Academicians; then approved by a majority of the total Academicians.
  The Academicians’ Election Committee shall provide an explanation for its decision in each case and promulgate it.
• The Council of Academia Sinica is composed of ex officio Members and elected Members. The President, Vice Presidents, and the directors of research institutes and research centers of Academia Sinica are ex officio Members. The President shall be the Chairperson of the Council.
  There are 30 to 50 elected Members. The quota of the Members shall be distributed to the divisions stipulated in Article 7. The elected Members shall be elected by the Academicians and appointed by the President of the R.O.C. The term of service for the elected Members is three years. If re-elected, he (she) may continue to serve a new term.
  When an elected Member resigns or a post becomes vacant, a new Member shall be elected by the Council and recommended to the President of the R.O.C. for appointment. He (she) shall hold the position until the completion of the term left unfinished by the predecessor.
  The regulations for the election of Council Members of Academia Sinica and the regulations for Meetings of the Council of Academia Sinica are enacted by the Council of Academia Sinica and promulgated by the President.
• The Chief Executive Officer shall be elected by the Council Members at the Council of Academia Sinica and proposed to the President of Academia Sinica for appointment.
  The elected Council Members and the Chief Executive Officer are honorary positions.
• The Council of Academia Sinica is responsible for the following tasks:
  • deciding the Academy’s research plans;
  • counseling on matters regarding the reforms of the research institutes/centers and associated work;
  • promoting academic cooperation and coordination among the domestic and international institutes and universities;
  • as authorized by the Central government to plan academic development projects;
  • electing candidates for the Presidency of Academia Sinica when the President resigns, or his (her) term expires, or the post becomes vacant;
  • performing other tasks stipulated in this act.
• In order to meet the demand for national and academic development, and so as to have a balanced growth between natural sciences and humanities and social sciences, Academia Sinica shall establish various research institutes. The Organization Regulations of research institutes shall be approved by the Council of Academia Sinica and promulgated by the President of Academia Sinica. The preparation, establishment, elimination, and merging of research institutes shall be evaluated and approved by the Council of Academia Sinica and promulgated by the President.
• Each research institute at Academia Sinica shall have a director and one or two deputy directors. During a new institute’s preparation period, the preparatory office shall also have one director and one to two deputy directors. They shall all be appointed by the President of Academia Sinica.
  The research staff at Academia Sinica is divided into five ranks: research fellow, associate research fellow, assistant research fellow, research assistant, and assistant. Those who may be qualified for the highest three ranks of the research staff must first be approved by the General Assembly of their Institute and then be recommended to the Qualification Review Committee. Once they are approved by the Qualification Review Committee, their cases then send to the General Assembly of Academia Sinica for approval. If they are approved, their cases are then submitted to the President for appointment. The appointments of those who may be qualified for the lowest two ranks of the research staffs, namely research assistant and assistant, shall be approved by the Personnel Committee of Academia Sinica before they receive an employment contract.
  When necessary, each research institute may recruit corresponding research fellows, adjunct research fellows, or adjunct associate research fellows in accordance with the previous Item.
• In addition to the above-mentioned research staff, each research institute at Academia Sinica may appoint distinguished research fellows as needed for its academic development. Their qualifications shall be stipulated by Academia Sinica.
  Those regulations stated in the previous Item and in Item 2 and Item 3 of the previous Article also apply to research institute preparatory offices.
• The following proceedings shall be stipulated in the Organization Regulations of Research Institutes of Academia Sinica by the Council of Academia Sinica:
  • procedures for the establishment of research institutes and preparatory offices;
  • qualifications for directors and deputy directors at research institutes and research institute preparatory offices;
  • qualifications for research staff;
  • staff organization of research institutes and research institute preparatory offices.
• In order to promote academic development, Academia Sinica shall establish various research centers. Each research center at Academia Sinica shall have one director, and one to two deputy directors. Ranks and review procedures for the research staff at each research center are the same as those of research institutes. Their preparation, establishment, elimination, merging, and the Organization Regulations of Research Centers shall be approved by the Council of Academia Sinica and promulgated by the President.
• Academia Sinica may recruit research specialists.
  Research specialists at Academia Sinica are divided into four ranks: senior research specialist, associate research specialist, assistant research specialist, and research technician.
  New hirings, employment renewals, and promotion of staff in the previous Item shall be approved by the General Assembly of Academia Sinica and promulgated by the President.
• An Academic Advisory Committee shall be established by each research institute, preparatory office and research center; the Central Academic Advisory Committee is established by Academia Sinica and under the direct supervision of the President.
  The Central Academic Advisory Committee is composed of the chosen members of the Academic Advisory Committees of each research institute, preparatory office and research center, and some specialists from Academia Sinica and outside, all are appointed by the President of Academia Sinica. Central Academic Advisory Committee membership is an honorary position.
  The Organization Regulations of the Academic Advisory Committees and the Central Academic Advisory Committee shall be stipulated by Academia Sinica.
• The Central Academic Advisory Committee shall have one Chairperson and two vice chairpersons. All are appointed from the Committee members by the President, and are responsible for assisting the President with Academia Sinica’s academic development and review procedures.
• The Central Academic Advisory Committee shall have one Executive Secretary of official rank between the 13th and 14th grades of civil servants; and three Deputy Executive Secretaries of the 12th grade. The administrative staff needed by the Committee shall be designated within the personnel quota of Academia Sinica.
  The positions of Executive Secretary and Deputy Executive Secretaries may be filled by research fellows and are responsible for the tasks listed in the previous Article.
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• Academia Sinica shall have one Secretary-General of official rank between the 13th and 14th grades of civil servants, appointed by the President of Academia Sinica, to be in charge of the overall administrative affairs of Academia Sinica; one Deputy Secretary-General of the 13th grade of civil servants, appointed by the President of Academia Sinica, to assist the Secretary-General with the administrative affairs.
  The posts of Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General and supervisors of the first-level units in charge of administrative affairs may be filled by research fellows or research specialists, with the exception of personnel, ethics and accounting units.
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• Those administrative and technical employees who started to work at Academia Sinica prior to January 26, 1990, but do not possess the qualifications for employment as set forth in the current Act, may still be employed until they resign.
• Academia Sinica shall establish a Qualification Review Committee as well as a Personnel Committee. Other types of committees may also be established as needed. The manpower needed for the Committees shall be designated within the personnel quota of Academia Sinica.
• The General Assembly is held for handling the general affairs of Academia Sinica. The rules of procedures and the administrative regulations are stipulated in the Regulations for Administrative Affairs of Academia Sinica.
• This Act shall take effect as of the date of its promulgation.

(This Act is drafted in both Chinese and English. If there is any inconsistency between the two, the Chinese version shall prevail.)