1. Idea – Objectives – Concept
The European Research Center on Contemporary Taiwan
– A CCK Foundation Overseas Center
(CCKF-ERCCT)
at Tübingen University
Idea – Objectives – Concept

2. Idea and objectives

3. In order to establish Taiwan studies in Europe, special attention has to be paid to the promotion of empirical research on Taiwan, especially at Ph.D. and postdoc level.
Postgraduate Taiwan studies should enable students to get as much research-related feedback as possible.
Students should work together and interact with established Taiwan scholars on a permanent basis in order to:

4. identify interesting research fields
develop feasible research strategies
apply suitable theories
clarify and finetune methodology
critically assess research results
prepare for publications in internationally renowned publishing houses.

5. The European Research Center on Contemporary Taiwan (ERCCT), an independent research unit jointly sponsored by the CCK Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange and the University of Tübingen, pursues these objectives by:
serving as a platform for qualified European and Taiwanese students who conduct empirical social science research on contemporary Taiwan, especially in the realm of law and politics, society, economics and cross-strait relations
supporting empirical research in Taiwan by establishing close relations to first-class academic institutions and jointly operating a tutorial system for those students who travel to Taiwan to conduct fieldwork

6. inviting visiting scholars from Taiwan and Europe to give talks or lecture courses at the center, and to take part in the center’s “Taiwan colloquium” for sharing their theoretical and methodological expertise with ERCCT fellows and other interested students.
inviting Ph.D. students and postdocs from Taiwan to visit the ERCCT for short-term research stays and to the annual Europe-Taiwan Young Scholars Workshop for presenting their projects and network with other Taiwan scholars.

7. hosting workshops and conferences with the explicit objective to publish high quality topical edited volumes

8. Most recent publication (2018)

9. helping book manuscripts on contemporary Taiwan to get published by international publishing houses, including the Routledge Research on Taiwan Series
interesting a wider non-academic audience for Taiwan, for instance by organizing the annual Taiwan Documentary Film Festival

10. The Concept

11. In order to pursue its main objective to promote postgraduate research on contemporary Taiwan, the ERCCT hosts qualified European and Taiwanese Ph.D. and postdoc students, but also – depending on qualification - M.A. students interested in conducting a PhD project.
ERCCT Resident Research Fellows are enrolled Ph.D. candidates at one of the faculties of Tübingen University or postdocs who are affiliated to the center on a permanent basis.
ERCCT Visiting Research Fellows are enrolled PhD students at other universities. They usually stay from for one term or one academic year, but can also stay at the center on a long-term basis.

12. ERCCT Associate Research Fellows reside and work at universities or academic institutions outside Tübingen and join the center's activities occasionally.
Each ERCCT Fellow is provided with office space and internet access, and is integrated in the ERCCT's activities. In principle, he/she is responsible for his/her funding, except he/she has been successfully applying for one of the ERCCT programmes.

13. ERCCT programmes

14. ERCCT Visiting Scholars Programme
At least 1-2 ERCCT Visiting Scholars are invited in each academic term (April 15th – July 15th; October 15th – February 15th) for one month. This programme is extended to more visiting scholars if co-funding is available.
All invited visiting scholars are provided with accommodation, a round air ticket (Economy Class), a stipend for daily expenses, and office space
They give lectures and participate in the "Taiwan colloquium“, where they present their research in terms of both content, theory and methodology. They also advice ERCCT Fellows on their projects.

15. ERCCT Short-term Resident Fellow Programme
Two Ph.D. or postdoc researchers from Europe or Taiwan are invited each year to join the ERCCT for a period between three months and one year, depending on available funding.
Invited fellows will be granted a monthly allowance of EUR 350, basic health insurance, and a one time travel grant of EUR 500. They will be provided with office space and enjoy the opportunity to discuss projects and exchange ideas with ERCCT Fellows and Visiting Scholars working at the ERCCT.

16. ERCCT Short-term Visiting Fellow Programme
In each academic term (approx. 15 April – 15 July; 15 October-15 February) the ERCCT invites each academic term two Taiwanese doctoral students or postdocs from ERCCT partner institutions to stay at the center for one month. All expenses, including a living stipend, are covered by the ERCCT.
Short-term visiting fellows participate in the center’s activities and are required to present their research in a Taiwan colloquium.

17. ERCCT Young Scholars Workshop
Beginning in 2012, the ERCCT holds each year during the summer term a Young Scholars Workshop. Some 15 emerging Taiwan scholars (doctoral students and postdocs) from Europe and Taiwan are invited to join a workshop in Tübingen, where they present and discuss their current research. They do also participate in a cultural programme and are made familiar with the work and the different activities at the ERCCT.
All expenses for selected workshop participants are covered by the ERCCT.

18. ERCCT Taiwan Colloquium
During the summer and winter terms, students meet regularily in the “Taiwan-Colloquium” to discuss their projects in detail.
Project ideas and intended field studies are communicated, applied theory and methodology scrutinized and empirical findings gathered in the field critically assessed.

19. ERCCT Tutorial System
Both ERCCT Resident and Visiting Fellows are entitled to take part in the tutorial system administered by the ERCCT partner institutions during their fieldwork in Taiwan.
The tutorial system is not a fixed programme or structure offered by the partner institution. Besides providing office space and permitting the Visiting Fellow to use the host institution’s facilities, it mainly refers to the assumed responsibility of the host institution or one specific research partner/tutor (a scholar affiliated to it) to:

20. assist the ERCCT Research Fellow in gaining access to scholars and institutions relevant to his/her research topic;
integrate the Fellow, as far as possible, in the academic activities of the partner institution;
each partner institution decides about the quantity of scholars it wishes to host and communicates with the ERCCT director and managing director on the capacities available on a case-by-case basis.

21. ERCCT Management and Staff
The ERCCT is operated by:
a director, Prof. Gunter Schubert
a co-director, Dr. Tseng Yu-chin
a managing director, Mr. Stefan Braig
a small support team of currently three assistants
The working languages at the center are English and Mandarin Chinese.

22. Strengthening contemporary social science research
Major objective:
Strengthening contemporary social science research
on Taiwan in Europe
Major strategies:
Recruiting ERCCT Research, Visiting and Associate Fellows
Inviting Visiting Scholars
Extending the network of ERCCT partners
Jointly conducting academic activities with other institutions or Taiwan studies programmes (most notably, the TSP at Nottingham University)

23. For detailed information please refer to www.ercct.uni-tuebingen.de