IPSAS has a double mission in advancing political science research and meeting the demands of political development in Taiwan. For this purpose, IPSAS has set as its overall research agenda “theory-oriented, area-based comparative politics and international relations studies.” Five research groups are designated under the overall goal. Recruitment decisions and research projects are also geared towards the five priority fields. These fields are Taiwan politics and comparative democracy, China and comparative politico-economic transition, Cross-Strait relations and international relations theory, Political changes in Asia and global democratic development, and Political methodology. The priority fields embody the most pressing issues in Taiwan’s political development and corresponding sub-disciplines in political science. The dual emphasis is to meet the demands of national development, and simultaneously seek breakthroughs in areas where local scholars enjoy comparative international advantage. This duality in research goals characterizes the research agenda of IPSAS.
