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The China Medical Board’s Fellowship Programs and Its Shifting Focus to Taiwan during the Postwar Era, 1951–1973

March 6, 2023

In this report, I investigate the institutionalization of the China Medical Board's (CMB) exchange fellowship programs and its shifting focus from Mainland China to a broader East Asia region from 1951 to 1973. In particular, this report looks at the CMB fellowship programs in Taiwan, which facilitated a gigantic wave of young health professionals moving from Taiwan to the United States during the postwar era. I begin by analyzing the major historical events that ultimately shifted CMB's direction from Mainland China to other parts of Asia, and the ways in which Taiwan became a critical focus for CMB after its retreat from Mainland China. The report's second half lies in the anatomy of the CMB fellowship program's operation in the two elite medical schools in Taiwan—the Medical College at the National Taiwan University (NTU) and the National Defense Medical Center (NDMC). I examine the demographical trends from the CMB fellowship allocation files and the key components that emerged from the CMB fellowship program. 

Creating Better Health for People, Animals, and the Planet: Food Systems Insights for Health Professionals

July 6, 2022

The report Creating Better Health for People, Animals, and the Planet: Food Systems Insights for Health Professionals showcases 10 food-focused initiatives that have taken action to promote human, ecological, and animal health and well-being. From Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, and the United States, the case studies in this report demonstrate how the health sector can play a critical role in food systems transformation.

China’s Role in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

May 14, 2022

On the 24th of February 2022, the Russian Federation began the military invasion of Ukraine after recognizing and assuring the security of the people republics of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in the east of Ukraine. The following images of Russian troops invading the country combined with Putin's political rhetoric on removing the 'neo-Nazis' in Kyiv and the acute need to bring order and de-nazify the country have been a shock to Europe and the international system. The ongoing conflict is the latest manifestation of Russia's increasingly revisionist ambitions towards the current American-led international order, an order that academic scholars increasingly argue is under threat by both revisionist and emerging powers. One of which is the People's Republic of China, a state that not only historically has enjoyed strong political ties with Russia, but also possesses territorial ambitions that parallel the current situation in Ukraine. An observation that is increasingly made by western media and academics has been drawing the parallel towards China's calculated nature as a selectively revisionist state but its ongoing territorial disputes in the region of the South China Sea has been the subject of increasing attention. Specifically, the People's Republic of China's tenuous relationship with Taiwan is perceived to be the next area of confrontation and revisionist efforts toward the rules-based international order. This observation has only been strengthened as the Beijing has failed to take a clear position towards the conflict, intentionally leaving its position ambiguous: the absence of recognizing the conflict in Ukraine as an aggressive war led by Russia in combination with recently abstaining on a vote condemning the conflict in the United Nations has only served to fuel fears and heighten tensions.To that extent, this report seeks to determine and understand the plan and potential policy direction that Beijing may pursue while examining the restrictions and considerations that may dictate its future decisions. China's position and role as one of the largest economies in the global market and in proximity to vital economic routes and sea lanes of communication ensure that any conflict in the region would have wide-ranging and damaging implications and consequences. Concretely, the objective of this article is to examine and determine the manner and impact in which the Russo-Ukrainian war will have on Chinese foreign policy and what limitations and opportunities do the regime face in either constructively engaging in advocating for a de-escalation of the violence or utilizing the conflict as a road map for its ambitions. The report systematically examines the economic and political incentives and relations China possesses with both the Ukraine and Russia before examining parallels between Taiwan and Ukraine and determining if China possesses the capabilities and political motivation to become a mediator to bring about an end to the conflict. 

Global Public Opinion in an Era of Democratic Anxiety

December 7, 2021

As democratic nations have wrestled with economic, social and geopolitical upheaval in recent years, the future of liberal democracy has come into question. In countries across the globe, democratic norms and civil liberties have deteriorated, while populists have enjoyed surprising success at the ballot box. Newly democratic nations have struggled, while more-established, once self-assured democracies have stumbled, exposing long-simmering weaknesses in their social fabrics and institutional designs.These trends have been well-documented by organizations such as the Economist Intelligence Unit, Freedom House, International IDEA and the Varieties of Democracy project (V-Dem), which measure and track the quality of democracy around the world. Public opinion researchers have also focused on these issues by examining how citizens think about democracy and its alternatives. At Pew Research Center, we've applied a comparative, cross-national lens to explore global trends in attitudes toward political representation and individual rights.

Driving Value: Taiwan Taxi Academy Association - Flipping Perceptions of the Taxi Industry

January 9, 2017

Under the aegis of a public-private partnership model, a non-profit taxi association was formed to improve the livelihoods of low-income taxi drivers, while bolstering the local economy.The Taiwan Taxi Academy Association (TTAA) was formally established as a non-profit organization(NPO) by a team of university professors in 2014, keen to apply what they have learned from years of academic research to improve the lives of taxi drivers. They developed a platform for drivers to be able to undergo professional training and gain access to collective learning opportunities. The goal was to "rebrand" taxi drivers to appeal to international and domestic tourists as friendly, reliable professionals who can provide high-value services.There are more than 150 members today, all of whom rely on chartered taxi tourism as their main source of income. To help them in this, TTAA combines resources from government authorities, universities, and the taxi industry to develop the capabilities of drivers. This unique organization, which works with government, industry, and academic stakeholders to create opportunities for drivers to work and thrive exemplifies how multi-stakeholder efforts can help to address a social problem — in this case, the dearth of opportunities for marginalized taxi drivers to improve their incomes.

Sustainability Through Innovation

October 12, 2016

Eden supports disabled persons in Taiwan by providing services and advocating for their rights. Through skills training and the development of its social enterprise arm, it is now enabling them to realize their potential in the workplace.Over the past three decades, Eden has responded to the ebb and fl ow of social and politicalchange in Taiwan, diversifying to meet the needs of disadvantaged groups. It has expanded beyond its original focus on persons with disabilities to help the elderly, children, dysfunctional families, underprivileged communities, and even delivering overseas aid. In that period, it has grown from an organization of just two persons serving Taipei City to one that employs 2,800 full-time staff across 85 offices in 21 counties and cities.As one of the largest nonprofit organizations in Taiwan, Eden plays a unique role in its society. It is a major government contractor, providing social welfare services to the disabled and disadvantaged of Taiwan. At the same time, it remains an effective social advocate for persons with disabilities, driving public initiatives, legislative change, and promoting holistic careers for disabled people as a means of creating both social and economic value.

Building Collective Impact: New Homeland Foundation - Empowering a Disaster-Struck Community in Rural Taiwan

June 10, 2016

With the help of the New Homeland Foundation (NHF), the poor mountain village of Taomi emerged from the tatters of a catastrophic earthquake as a premium eco-village and tourism hotspot.In 1999, a disastrous earthquake struck Taomi, and the destruction brought further suffering to local residents. In response, a non-profit organization (NPO) called the New Homeland Foundation (NHF) stepped up to the plate, helping the community to channel resources for the emergency response and the eventual regeneration of Taomi's economy.NHF worked with experts from different fields to sketch out a roadmap for Taomi to re-invent itself as an eco-village. Over the course of a decade, external professionals and NHF empowered local residents to see the value of the environment and rural lifestyles for their economic prospects: a pre-quake bamboo grower would became an ecological guide and B&B operator. NHF also transformed itself along the way. Initially acting as a champion for Taomi to restructure its aid-reliant economy, NHF became an eco-tourism entrepreneur itself when it established a learning park that became a major tourist attraction. In doing so, it became a critical player in Taomi's eco-village economy and continues to play an important role in its ongoing success.

Developing a Decision Model of Sustainable Product Design and Development from Product Servicizing in Taiwan

March 20, 2016

In response to the global trend of low carbon and the concept of sustainable development, enterprises need to develop R&D for the manufacturing of energy-saving and sustainable products and low carbon products. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to construct a decision model for sustainable product design and development from product servicizing in Taiwan. The study used the grounded theory to extract the results of the expert interviews to analyze factors of sustainable product design and development under principles of product servicizing. Then, this study established a sustainable development checklist of product servicizing based on life cycle as the criterion of evaluation for sustainable product design and development. Finally, the study constructed a decision model for sustainable development of product design and servicizing.

The Impact of Negative Vote on 2016 Legislator Election in Hsinchu City

January 2, 2016

For the 3rd survey, completed in 2016.01.02, NVA has selected a fiercely contested legislative district of HsinChiu municipality where the colourful long term DPP Party Whip in the National Legislature, Mr KO, is facing the threats in addition from KMT but also a candidate from a new and small party close to DPP. The result are quite surprising, Mr KO will no longer comfortably remain with a near tie at the top, but will drop dramatically to No.3 if Negative Vote system is applied.

Breaking the Cycle: An International Comparison of U.S. Mathematics Teacher Preparation

April 15, 2010

Compares courses taken, experience, and knowledge of mathematics and pedagogy among future elementary and middle school mathematics teachers in sixteen countries. Explores links to student performance and calls for reforms in certification and curricula.

Comparison of Approaches to Management of Large Marine Areas

January 1, 2010

In order to learn more about the different approaches to managing large-scale marine areas, their comparative merits, and the synergies and overlaps between them, Conservation International (CI) commissioned this independent analysis of several widely applied models. Since 2004, CI, together with a multitude of partners, has been developing the Seascapes model to manage large, multiple-use marine areas in which government authorities, private organizations, and other stakeholders cooperate to conserve the diversity and abundance of marine life and to promote human well-being. The definition of the Seascapes approach and the identification of the essential elements of a functioning Seascape were built from the ground up, informed by the extensive field experience of numerous marine management practitioners. Although the report was commissioned by CI, the views expressed in this report are those of the authors; they were charged with providing a critical examination of all the assessed approaches, including the Seascapes approach. This analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. This will help us -- and, we hope, other readers -- to identify ways to work together to achieve even greater results through synergistic efforts.

Philanthropy and Law in Asia: A Comparative Study of the Non-profit Legal Systems in Ten Asia Pacific Societies

January 1, 1999

A collection of reports from ten Asian nations (Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam), this publication provides a comparison of the laws and public policy regulating and influencing the nonprofit sectors in those countries. A helpful guide for governments, nonprofits, foundations, and international organizations who wish to understand the ways in which nonprofits are regulated and structured throughout the region.