International Master‵s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies

Following the College of Social Sciences' (CSS) inaugural initiative in October 2024 to invite alumni teaching at overseas universities back to campus , two distinguished graduates returned for a special program from April 21 to 27, 2025. The first was Dr. Niki Alsford, a 2010 graduate of the International Master’s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IMAS), now Professor of Anthropology and Human Geography and Director of the Institute for the Study of the Asia Pacific at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. The second was Dr. Non Naprathansuk, a 2014 graduate of the International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IDAS), currently Assistant Professor in the School of Administrative Studies and Deputy Dean for Academic and International Affairs at Maejo University, Thailand.

On April 21 and 22, both alumni presented their latest research. Dr. Alsford explored the connections between Taiwan and Austronesian cultures, while Dr. Naprathansuk analyzed educational cooperation between Taiwan and Thailand. Their presentations showcased the College’s success in cultivating talent with global academic impact. On April 23, they shared valuable insights on navigating the academic job market, drawing significant interest from doctoral students. Both emphasized the importance of rigorous writing, avoiding predatory journals, and cultivating a resilient mindset. They also reminded students that humility is key to perseverance in a competitive job market.

On April 24, the two professors accompanied IMAS students to Kinmen—an island just 1.8 kilometers from mainland China’s closest military outpost—to participate in the Second Annual International Conference of African and Middle East Studies in Taiwan, co-organized by Academia Sinica, National Quemoy University (NQU), and IMAS. Both alumni and several IMAS students served as session chairs and presenters, engaging in vibrant exchange with scholars from the United States, Nigeria, Benin, South Africa, and Cameroon.

In his opening remarks, Professor Philip Hsiaopong Liu, IMAS Director and Associate Dean of CSS, explained that Kinmen was chosen as the conference venue to symbolize the start of dialogue between Taiwan and the Middle East and Africa. He noted that just 70 kilometers away lies Quanzhou, China, where an Arab-style mosque dating back to the Song Dynasty still stands—a testament to a once-thriving Arab community. One can imagine Arab and Hokkien trading ships navigating these waters during the 10th and 11th centuries. In the 17th century, Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) assembled a fleet nearby to expel Dutch colonizers from Tainan, Taiwan. His forces included hundreds of African soldiers, and traces of African presence remain in Tainan today. Some Chinese scholars even consider this campaign the first instance of Sino-African joint resistance against colonialism.

Beyond the conference, the group turned Kinmen into a “living classroom” to explore the interrelated themes of war, gender, and economy. On gender, students visited the Temple of the Virtuous Woman, dedicated to a woman whose naked body washed ashore from Xiamen in the 1950s. Originally depicted as a victim of violence by Communist soldiers, her story has shifted with changes in cross-strait politics. Another site was the Teahouse for Special Services, also known as the “Military Paradise”—a Cold War-era brothel system established by the government for over 100,000 stationed troops, often viewed as a localized version of the “comfort women” system.

In exploring wartime economies, students visited the Kinmen Kaoliang (Sorghum) Liquor Distillery, learning how the island’s barren land was transformed into a profitable wartime asset. They also toured a knife factory that turns artillery shells left from Chinese bombardments into commercial kitchen knives. A notable highlight was the story of Justin Yifu Lin, who defected in 1979 by swimming 1,800 meters from Kinmen to a PLA-controlled area. He later rose to become one of China’s most prominent economists, even serving as Senior Vice President of the World Bank.

Participants also visited key military sites, including the 1949 PLA landing beach, underground tunnels, the Landmine Museum, a 240mm cannon drill, psychological warfare broadcasting walls, and a simulated shooting range. The group returned to Taiwan on April 27.

For all involved, the experience was deeply impactful—not only for its academic depth, but also for its hands-on engagement with cross-strait tensions and the lived history of war. CSS Dean Wan-ying Yang emphasized that experiential learning is a cornerstone of the IMAS curriculum. In recent years, IMAS students have traveled to Tainan to study Dutch colonial history, to Keelung to examine Japanese-era mining, to Matsu to explore military tensions across the Taiwan Strait , to the Kingdom of Eswatini to learn about Taiwan’s international diplomacy, and to explore the relationship between Taiwan and the global economy through visits to semiconductor factories, including TSMC. Future plans include further integration of Austronesian cultural experiences to deepen students’ global understanding of Taiwan. International students are warmly invited to join IMAS and discover Taiwan through these transformative journeys.