In 1994, Academia Sinica launched the Program for Southeast Asian Area Studies. The Institute of History and Philology (IHP) periodically carried out archaeological research in Southeast Asia in an attempt to understand the cultural, social and economic interaction between Southeast Asia and Taiwan. At present, the IHP has already collected a good amount of preliminary data. The Research Center for Taiwan and Southeast Asian Archaeology therefore aims to enhance the interaction and integrate research between scholars and students doing Taiwan and Southeast Asian Archaeology, and to further develop and promote archaeological research related to Taiwan, Southeast Asia and the neighboring regions. The ultimate goal is to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration in the broad academic community of Taiwan and Southeast Asian Archaeology.

​

The main foci include the establishment of a regional, spatial and temporal framework for prehistoric cultures, the understanding of past societies, through archaeology, oral history, historical archaeology and contemporary issues/concerns related to indigenous peoples/cultures and the preservation of cultural heritage. These topics relate to the establishment of a history of human activity in Taiwan, Southeast Asia and beyond, and broaden our perspectives in this area by combining archaeology with other disciplines.

​

​We are also creating databases of archaeological sites, artifacts, and literature, and thereby promotes the sharing of information with domestic and international research institutes.