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The 5th World Congress of Taiwan Studies (WCTS) will be held by Academia Sinica from May 21 to 23, 2025. This year, with the theme “Taiwan in a Changing World: Past, Present, and Future,” the triennial event will bring together scholars from over 30 countries to explore Taiwan’s transformations from diverse perspectives. Academia Sinica President James C. Liao noted that the WCTS, initiated by Academia Sinica, has over the past decade become the largest international academic event dedicated to Taiwan studies. With the Congress returning to Taiwan this year, all 12 Institutes and Research Centers within the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences are actively involved. There are expected to be over 750 participants— the highest number ever—demonstrating a growing global interest in Taiwan studies. Members of the public, including students, are encouraged to register and participate.

A Record Number of Over 400 Papers on Taiwan studies to Be Presented

The three-day conference will begin on May 21 with two keynote speeches. The first speech is titled “The Diversity of Formosan Languages and Austronesian Homeland,” delivered by Academician Li Jen-kuei. Drawing on linguistic evidence, Li will explore the origins and expansion of the Austronesian peoples, who are spread across islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. He argues that the extraordinary diversity of the Formosan languages suggests that Taiwan is likely the origin of Austronesian populations. The second speech is titled “Taiwan: Thriving in a World of Geopolitics and Mercantilism,” delivered by Academician Wu Yu-shan. He will examine the challenges and opportunities Taiwan faces in today’s international political and economic landscape, offering insights into its strategic role and development paths within the broader framework of geopolitics.

The 2025 WCTS will feature five panel discussions, five book forums, and six roundtable events. 413 papers will be presented across 137 panels, with the total number of sessions reaching 155, the largest number of papers and sessions in its history. The program covers a wide range of topics, including archaeology, art, economics, history, Indigenous studies, law, linguistics, literature, politics, religion, society. Leading scholars in Taiwan studies from around the world will come together to examine Taiwan’s place in a changing global context through interdisciplinary perspectives.

Academic Dialogue Without Borders: Establishing a Leading Platform for Global Taiwan studies

The WCTS was first launched in 2012 in response to growing international interest in Taiwan as a field of academic inquiry. At the time, Taiwan studies was gaining prominence, with dedicated research centers established in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Recognizing this momentum, Academia Sinica called on its research units in the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences to work together in organizing the Congress, where scholars from different research backgrounds are encouraged to share their research findings. Through this academic dialogue, the event aims to raise the quality of Taiwan-related research and strengthen international research networks focused on Taiwan. Over the past decade, a tradition has been established whereby the hosting of the WCTS alternates among Taiwan and various international research institutes. Past meetings have been held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London, and the University of Washington in Seattle. Participation has grown steadily, and today it is the most influential academic event in the field of Taiwan Studies.

[Event Information]

The 5th World Congress of Taiwan studies

Date: May 21 (Wednesday) through May 23 (Friday), 2025

Venue: Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Academia Sinica (Registration is on the 3rd floor)

Website: https://wctsv.project.sinica.edu.tw/english/english_index.html

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/AAHvDYW2PCUkfoveA
(Simultaneous Chinese translation will be provided for both keynote speeches.)

Organizers and Partners: (listed in order of stroke count in Chinese)
Organizers: Academia Sinica, National Taiwan Normal University
Co-organizers: Soochow University, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, Ministry of Education
Supporting Organizations: Friends of Europe in Taiwan, National Science and Technology Council, Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, National Academy of Civil Service, Taipei City Government
Preparatory Units: International Taiwan studies Center (National Taiwan Normal University)
Academia Sinica Preparatory Units: Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy, Institute of Ethnology, Institute of European and American Studies, Institute of Linguistics, Institute of Modern History, Institutum Iurisprudentiae, Institute of Sociology, Institute of Political Science, Institute of History and Philology, Institute of Economics, Institute of Taiwan History