TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Roma Tre University signed an agreement Monday with Taiwan’s representative office in Italy to launch the Taiwan Studies Project, per CNA.

The project, supported by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, promotes Taiwan studies and enhances Taiwan’s visibility in the academic community. Taiwan Representative to Italy Tsai Yun-chung (蔡允中) said the partnership aims to strengthen Taiwan–Italy relations through cultural and educational cooperation.

Roma Tre University President Massimiliano Fiorucci said the signing underscores the value of deep academic exchange between Taiwan and Italy. He noted the university began working with Taiwan in 2012, hosting seminars, film festivals, and Mandarin-language courses with support from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture and the MOE.

Rosa Lombardi, the project’s principal investigator, said the Taiwan Studies Project expands sinology beyond a “China-only” narrative. She said the program focuses on Taiwan’s literature, society, and growing influence in technology, international relations, and the Indo-Pacific region.

The five-year project will include conferences, online programs, and a digital archive about Taiwan’s culture. Lombardi added that the effort will help Italian students and researchers better understand Taiwan’s vibrant and diverse cultural landscape.

Taiwan also signed an agreement with Sapienza University of Rome in 2022, launched with the university’s CEMAS center, marking the start of cooperation to promote Taiwan-focused research in Europe.