Short Term Research Award (STRA) Announcement
1. Purpose
To encourage international students (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao SAR students are not eligible) to undertake short term research in order to provide them with opportunities to increase their understanding of Taiwanese culture and society, and to promote mutual understanding and interactions between Taiwan and the international community.
2. Award Value
a. A monthly research allowance of 25,000 NTD.
b. A return trip economy airfare ticket that allows recipients from any of the following countries, Asia, Europe, America, Africa and Oceania to fly directly from recipient’s home country to Taiwan and back. Expenses will be reimbursed after the recipient has arrived in Taiwan and has submitted to the research institute the original airfare ticket and all ticket stubs. The maximum allowance will be specified by the Ministry of Education and the recipients will have to cover their own extra expenses.
3. Duration
The short term research period will range from 2 to 6 months, beginning on January 1st and ending on December 31st, in compliance with the current fiscal year.
he scholarship is revoked .
4. Availabilities
There will be approximately 20 to 40 openings available per annum, depending on the annual budget, for that fiscal year.
5. Eligibility
a. Ph.D. candidates with ABD status (All but dissertation) or Post Doctoral fellows under 45 years of age and not of R.O.C nationality, that intend to undertake research in one of the following subject areas: Taiwanese culture, social science, culture, art and related comparative research.
b. A Ph.D. (ABD) refers to a candidate who has already completed all of the required courses and currently is in the process of writing a dissertation.
A Postdoctoral fellow is a candidate possessing a Ph.D. at a registered public or private higher education institution and has taken up a research program at a registered academic institute or university. Research programs involving a thesis, a book, or any related publications will have priority. Please note that the following individuals are not eligible:
a.) Those doing research in the areas of natural science, medicine, engineering or related comparative research in Taiwan.
b.) Those that are currently, residing or studying ( including internship), teaching or doing research in Taiwan.
c.) Those that have received an award within the last 5 years.
d.) Those that are currently, receiving financial benefits from a government agency or an educational institute in Taiwan.
e.) Those that are exchange students to Taiwan during the Award period.
6. Application
Candidates that intend to apply to a research program from January to December of the following year at research universities or Ministry of Education (MOE) affiliated research institutes, such as The Center for Chinese Studies, the National Academy for the Educational Research Preparatory Office, will need to submit their applications before June 30th ( the arrival date for mail). Universities and Ministry affiliates will report successful candidates to the MOE for further assessment. The MOE will notify candidates, universities, Ministry affiliates and embassies or missions in the candidates’ home countries of the results before September 30th.
a. Application form ( see appendix 1)
b. A photocopy of the Ph.D. credential. The Ph.D. (ABD) candidate must provide a certificate of enrollment and a certificate of completion for all required courses.
c. At least two letters of recommendation: one from the head of university or institution where the candidate works or studys; another from scholars or experts in the subject field applied. The Ph.D. (ABD) candidate, also needs a letter of recommendation from his / her director.
7. Selection Procedure
a. Universities or Ministry affiliates will accept applicants undertaking research through a application document review. Applicants who passed the first screening will be short-listed for a second screening by the MOE. Three to five scholars and experts in the related research areas will determine the final list based on potential, outstanding performances, the ability to execute plans ( 30%), language ability and the academic status of the research institute (30%), the completeness of the research project (including theme, structure, research methodology and analysis), availability, and the importance of the project to the applicant’s home country and to Taiwan (40%).
b. Certain candidates will be offered reserved places for a scholarship after the official final list has been decided upon. If one of the successful candidates fails to come to Taiwan or withdraws from the program, the MOE will award this scholarship to the next qualified candidate on the reserved list and subsequently notify the new recipient, the related local research institute, and the local embassy or mission of this change.
8. Payment Procedure
Universities or Ministry affiliated research institutes where the recipients work should follow the schedule and the procedures below in order to apply for funding.
a. Requests for a grant for each fiscal year should be submitted before January 5th of the day of same year. An allowance will be granted to the recipient on the tenth of every month. A list of MOE approved recipients and a receipt made out to the Ministry from the University requesting funding should be attached to the funding application document.
b. Universities are to send photocopies of the recipients’ invoice, ticket stub or purchase receipt, along with an official request letter to the MOE requesting reimbursement and verification as soon as the recipient has arrived in Taiwan. Universities should retain the original documents for later inspection.
c. Upon completion of the research project, universities or MOE affiliated institutes are required to hand in an official document with the research report and a statement of income and expenditure to the MOE within a month of the completion date to close the account. However, research projects finished on December 31st should have this report and the verification sheets handed in no later than January 5th of the following year.
d. The request, payment and verification of the grant should comply with the MOE subsidy and commission expense verification guidelines.
9. Terms and conditions
1.) Short Term Research
A. Recipient
a. The recipient should undertake research at a registered university or at a MOE affiliate. During the research period, the recipient should actively participate in related academic events in Taiwan.
b. The recipient is not allowed to leave Taiwan throughout the period to which the award relates without the permission of the university or a MOE affiliate. Even with permission of the university or a MOE affiliate, a prolonged stay of over ten days will lead to the suspension of the scholarship for an entire month.
c. The recipient should hand in a research report including a thesis or a publication ( see Appendix 3) to the university or a MOE afffiliate before the end of the research period. The university or a MOE afffiliate will then submit a report to the MOE.
d. If the recipient arrived in Taiwan before the scheduled research period for purposes other than research and failed to obtain consent from the university or a MOE affiliate in advance, he/she will have to pay for the travel expenses to Taiwan.
e. The recipient is prohibited to work for profit during the research period.
f. The recipient is not allowed to accept any other awards or subsidies from other government agencies or academic institutions.
g. The MOE does not provide housing or lab space.
h. The recipient must be covered by accident and medical insurance, which is effective throughout his/her stay in Taiwan. The recipient should either fax or email the insurance policy one month prior to the arrival in Taiwan for review purposes. If the recipient is not insured, he/ she will not receive any research grant or airfare reimbursement during his/her stay.
i. If the recipient acquires an alien resident certificate ( ARC) during his/her stay and is qualified to join the National Health Insurance, he/she must join the insurance and pay the fees accordingly.
j. If the recipient has forged any information or documentation, he/she will not only be disqualified from the program, but will also be required to return all the research funding and airfare previously received.
B. Universities and MOE Affiliates
a. The MOE will not accept any application forms after July 31st. Applications and related documents submitted will not be returned to the sender.
b. Universities and MOE affiliates agree to assist the recipients during their research period in Taiwan when needed and to help with the distribution and verification process of the grant according to the MOE schedule.
c. Universities should withhold future allowance and request the recipient to pay back allowances and airfare already granted once they discovered that the recipient submitted false documents.
b. Embassies and missions should actively promote the scholarship program, offer information regarding the study in Taiwan program and help with the application and selection process. Embassies and missions should also help recipients with their visas and remind them to sign the Huayu enrichment scholarship written promise and understanding sheet ( see Appendix 6).
c. Hold orientations to explain related regulations, important notices for the Alien Residence Certificate (ARC), the ban on working for profit, along with additional information needed to live and study in Taiwan.
d. Embassies and missions should stay in contact with recipients who have completed the project and returned to their home countries, for the purpose of holding experience sharing meetings and events, which allow the recipients to share what they have learned and how they felt about the project for future reference.
