TAP Director Perkuhn Highlights Growing Taiwan-Germany Collaboration at SU Lecture

On October 22, 2024, Soochow University welcomed Dr. Josie-Marie Perkuhn, director of the Taiwan as a Pioneer (TAP) program from Universität Trier, for a lecture on the evolving cooperation between Taiwan and Germany. Hosted by SU’s Central and Eastern Asia Center, the event provided students with fresh insights into the growing partnerships between the two countries.

Perkuhn discussed how, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties, Taiwan and Germany have established strong channels for joint works through dialogue and shared initiatives. She introduced the German-Taiwanese Association (Deutsch-Taiwanische Gesellschaft), founded in 1957 by German Bundestag members, which fosters economic, cultural, and academic connections between the two nations.

A key focus of the lecture was the TAP program, a research initiative funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Jointly led by Universität Trier, Universität Tübingen, and Ruhr-Universität Bochum, the program examines Taiwan’s achievements in sustainability, digital policy, democratic governance, and cultural innovation, offering valuable lessons for Germany’s development.

As an academic representative of the 2024 German-Taiwanese Dialogue Platform, Perkuhn also reflected on the inaugural forum held in Berlin earlier this year. She encouraged students to engage with international issues, particularly those related to Taiwan-Germany exchanges, and to broaden their global perspectives through study and participation in cross-cultural initiatives.

This lecture not only deepened students’ understanding of informal diplomacy but also inspired interest in international careers and academic research. Events like this underscore Soochow University’s commitment to nurturing globally minded students equipped to navigate and contribute to an interconnected world.