Mission:

The College of Hakka Studies was established in 2004 in the context of Taiwan's multicultural policy and a dynamic social development in the age of globalization. Its objective is to develop research and preservation of Hakka language and culture through teaching and to promote mutual understanding and respect among various ethnic groups.

Units:

This College includes two departments and one degree program.  The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences provides profound training of basic disciplines, which is enhanced by the development of cross-disciplinary associations, in order to explore the recent issues such as globalization, ethnic relations, cultural politics and cultural production, as well as the multicultural question.  The Department of Communication and Technology equips students with communication knowledge and media techniques in support of community communication, multicultural awareness, and the Hakka culture.  The Degree Program of Hakka Society and Culture for In-Service Teachers offers on-job training for in-service teachers and employees of public and private institutions, with an aim to develop research and preservation of Hakka language and culture through teaching and to promote mutual understanding and respect among various ethnic groups.

Strategies:

To meet the goals listed above, the College has been fully supported by the University with an aim at becoming a key center for international Hakka Studies, focused on the critical theory of ethnicity and representation plus ethnic policy studies in Taiwan and overseas. The future development is planned on three measured terms by interdisciplinary group projects: on short term in northern Taiwan around Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli; on middle term in the rest of Taiwan and in China around Fujian, Guangdong and Szichuan; on long term, Southeast Asia and Hakka communities in other areas of the world. The projects of the three stages will be implemented in collaboration with the Hakka College of National Central University and foreign scholars in related areas. Scholars of non-Hakka studies will also be invited to conduct dialogues in large-scale group projects. The International Center of Hakka Studies under this College is now promoting three group projects: Hakka Language Studies, Research on Hakka Society and Culture, and Media Studies on Hakka.

The Goals for the Coming Two Years:

Working within the broad fields of humanities and social sciences in this College, the International Center of Hakka Studies is playing a crucial role in developing cross-disciplinary research projects.  It is expected to extend its capacities by establishing research offices on Hakka policy, Hakka communities, and oral history.  In 2006 with the support of the Council of Hakka Affairs fund, this Center is undertaking projects regarding Hakka language, Hakka culture and history, the identity of Hakka community in Malaya, and community services.