Our Mission
As the hub for international Indigenous affairs within the College of Indigenous Studies (CIS), CIIA creates opportunities for students, faculty, and partners to develop global Indigenous perspectives through teaching, international exchange, collaborative research, and cultural engagement. Our mission is to:
•Advance international Indigenous research and scholarly collaboration;
•Strengthen awareness and understanding of Indigenous peoples, rights, and contemporary issues;
•Foster meaningful academic, educational, cultural, and community exchanges;
•Support Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and Indigenous knowledge systems; and
•Nurture the next generation of Indigenous leaders and global Indigenous scholars.
Guided by the vision of “Local Cultivation, International Networking,” CIIA promotes Indigenous knowledge systems and educational sovereignty while connecting Taiwan’s Indigenous communities to global networks.[edu]
Global Indigenous Engagement
CIIA actively connects with international Indigenous organizations, networks, and research alliances, including:
•World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC)
•World Indigenous Nations Conference on Education (WIPCE)
•International Indigenous Research Conference (IIRC)
•Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA)
Through these partnerships, we build sustained international networks that advance Indigenous education, research, knowledge sovereignty, and collective self-determination. CIIA has established academic connections with universities and Indigenous institutions across Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Guam, Hawaii, Alaska, the continental United States, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, Austria, and Sápmi (Norway and Finland), among others.
CIIA is committed to the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with particular attention to:
