The Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange (CCKF; Chinese: 蔣經國國際學術交流基金會) is a private nonprofit organization located in Taipei, Taiwan, that provides support for research grants on Chinese studies in the humanities and social sciences at overseas institutions.
The Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange was formally established on January 12, 1989, being supported by both the ROC government and private organizations, while also earning distinction as Taiwan’s first international academic organization..[1] The stated motivation for the foundation stems from professors of Chinese descent at American universities becoming concerned about the decline of programs of Chinese studies at colleges and universities overseas, and their desire to reverse this situation.
[3] As of 2011, the board had 19 members; its chair was Mao Kao-wen, and notable members included former Taiwan Province governor James Soong, Morris Chang of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, former Chinese University of Hong Kong Vice-Chancellor Lawrence Lau, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Fredrick Chien.
[3] The foundation organizes its grants by four geographical areas: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and domestic (Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao); historically, most of its activity has been with those in the United States.
This brought about opposition to the proposed funding by students and scholars who objected to the history of political repression during the earlier years of Chiang's regime.