1.　(Polishing plan) NSC Funding for Scholars to improve their effects internationally

　　Associate Professor Chien-Kuo Mi has received funding from NSC with the Virtue Epistemology and Chinese Philosophy: International Collaborative Research Project (Authorized funding of 0.5 Million NT) and The Virtue Turn: International Collaborative Project (Authorized Funding of $175834 NT). This year, Dr. Mi has once again received funding from NSC with the project of The Virtue Turn: International Cooperation. Receiving funding for 3 consecutive years is such a rare and precious moment for Dr. Mi.

　　The spirit of this project is to encourage the scholars to enter the international academic research team to exert influence in the philosophical society. Dr. Mi was invited by APA to be the executive committee member of American Philosophical Association: Committee of International Cooperation with a 3 year term. Dr. Mi was recommended once again to hold a second turn in the Cooperation (from July 1^st, 2014-June 30^th, 2017). Dr Mi feels that long term maintenance rather than a mere few years is needed for Taiwan to be influential in the word. Therefore, Dr. Mi has extended the international collaboration project, hoping through holding a seat at an internationally important academic organization would be effective in propelling the Taiwanese influence in the world.

　　This international collaboration centers around “ethics” and extending into “wisdom” and “morals” which encompass Western and Chinese philosophy. NSC has authorized funding for 3 years from January 1^st, 2014-December 31^st, 2016. The funding for first year is $236916NT.

2.　International Master Series：

　　The department aims to better the overall education to fulfill the international standard and viewpoint in order to continue SCU’s excellent academic tradition and reputation. From 2008, SooChow Lectures in Philosophy was conducted for 6 consecutive years to invite internationally prominent philosophers with original thinking to give speeches in Taiwan. The funding needed is around 0.5 Million NT. From 2012-2013, we have received funding from J T Tai& Co. Foundation of Office of Research Development for $240000NT. The rest of the funding would be applied to NSC.

　　Form of the Lectures： Each lecture is about 1.5 hours. 30 minutes at the end would be saved for Q&A Session. The lecture is conducted in English with a Mandarin translator to assist with translating at the adequate moments. Through the conversation between domestic and international scholars and students’ participation in the hope that everyone in society could be a part of this and benefit from this lecture. Students that participate full time would receive a master-signed certificate. The master series has been published by the Princeton University and would be written into a book; such creation has attracted positive reputation from the international philosophy society.

3.　The international collaboration research project by Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange

　　(Knowledge, Virtue, and Intuition: Virtue Epistemology and Chinese Philosophy)， The team consists of Chein-Kuo Mi, Associate professor, Zhi-Hue Wang, associate professor, Cheng-Hung Tsai, associate professor, and professorRuey-Lin Chen of National Chung Cheng University in collaboration with professor Ernest Sosa of Rutgers University. The project integrates Knowledge, Virtue, and Intuition: Virtue Epistemology and Chinese Philosophy and receives funding from Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange for $2800000 NT in 2008 for the period of July 2009 to June 2013.

　　The project centers around Professor Sosa’s Virtue Epistemology and aims to study the topic from different aspects; it is also anticipated that through this project, the foundation of field research could be depended. On the other hand, this could drive the academic exchange between Anglo-American analytic philosophy and Chinese philosophy to facilitate the communication between different philosophy fields.

　　During the period of this project, aside from the study session every month and related research seminars, there would be at least twice for the entire project team to meet and discuss each year. Therefore during these 3 years, 5 PI (Professor Chien-Kuo Mi, Zhi-Hue Wang, Hsiang-Min Shen, Cheng-Hung Tsai, Ruey-Lin Chen) have to travel to the US to meet with Professor Rosa to discuss about the project; professor Rosa is also invited to Taiwan to share and consult the research of this projects. This is extremely beneficial for the academic development of our department.

　　The project team must periodically study the Virtue Epistemology proposed by professor Sosa, they should also pay attention on the development of virtue theory hoping to formulate a module between epistemology and ethics with the Virtue Epistemology framework.  The team is also concerned how Chinese Philosophy could enter the conversation of Virtue Epistemology. Therefore, on June 2^nd-4^th 2011, Academia Sinica Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy, HuaFan University co-organize the Virtue and Luck: Virtue Theory and Chinese Philosophy International Seminar. They invited the most famous philosopher Ernest rosa to discus the topic of Virtue epistemology and other prominent scholars such as Professor Chong-Kim Chong from the Division of Humanities of Hong Kong University of Science and Technolog, Professor Huang Yong of Kuztown University and Professor Stephne C. Angle of Wesleyan University also participated in this seminar to have philosophical conversations for us to futher grasp the understanding of epistemology and ethich within the frame work of virtue epsitemology. Through the discussion and thinking, we can understand that there’s very interesting link to these philosophies.

　　On May 28th-30th 2012, the project also oragnized a seminar to have a conversation with international philosophy mastersp on the topic of virtue. Through study workshop, discussion is initiated and philosophical conversation is carried to bring out new thinking path. In addition to the consultation of professor Rosa, other internationally prominent scholars are also invited such as Michael Slote教授 (Miami University)、Stephen R. Grimm 教授 (Fordham University)、Peter Graham教授 (California Riverside University)、劉紀璐JeeLoo Liu教授 (California State University)、Hui-chieh Loy教授 (Singapore National University)、郭世平Guo Shiping教授（蘇州大學Soochow University）、方萬全Wan-Chuan Fang教授（中央研究院Academia Sinica歐美研究所Institute of European and American）等，與本系米建國Chien-Kuo Mi老師、王志輝Zhi-Hue Wang老師、沈享民Hsiang-Min Shen老師、蔡政宏Cheng-Hung Tsai老師及馬愷之Kai Marchal老師。This seminar has pushed forward the virtue epistemology thinking in Taiwan and improved the academic exchange of virtue epistemology and Chinese Philosophy.

4.　Cross-Strait Academic Exchange

The department is actively seeking academic exchange and collaboration with Department of Philosophy of major universities in China.

1. Our department has agreed upon taking turns to host the Cross-Strait Soochow Forum. The first Cross-Strait Soochow Forum has been conducted in 2011 at SCU. The Second Cross-Strait Soochow Forum was conducted in Suzhou University in March, 2012. The third Cross-Strait Soochow Forum was conducted in March, 2013 at SCU and entered the actual academic exchange stage.

2. Initiated the academic relation with Wuhan University and also set up the mutual visits. Have reached preliminary agreements on Master Degree student exchange program.

3. Academic exchange with Philosophy Department of Xiamen University and Fudan University has been carried out. 3 philosophy scholars from Xiamen University have visited Taiwan this year. Director of Philosophy Department Cao Zhiping and Professor Cao Jianbo also planned to visit Taiwan in September, 2013. Professor Chien-Kuo Mi visited the philosophy department of Fudan university in March. Director of Philosophy Department Xun Xian Chen and Associate Director of Zhaokuan Hao are visiting Taiwan in May for more information exchange.