Academicians are welcome to give their frank feedback on any issues at the upcoming biannual meeting, Academia Sinica president James Liao (廖俊智) said on Sunday.
The four-day convocation that started yesterday is expected to cover national and domestic issues, and academicians can give their candid views on affairs concerning the research institute or the nation, Liao said.
This is Liao’s first convocation. He was elected to the research institute in 2014 and was appointed president last month.
Academia Sinica said that 195 of 263 academicians have signed up to attend this year’s meeting.
Academician Hsiang Wu-chung (項武忠) and several of his fellow researchers are expected to make a proposal to reform Academia Sinica’s president selection process.
Hsiang has said he does not recognized Liao as a legitimately selected president and the head of Academia Sinica should be elected by fellow academicians.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) appointed Liao as president after his predecessor, Wong Chi-huey (翁啟惠), tendered his resignation over insider trading allegations.
Academia Sinica usually forms a selection committee that decides on three candidates for the top position and offers these names to the nation’s president to choose from.
Hsiang said that because the selection committee is composed of academicians and administrative staff, it creates room for power plays within the institute.
Apart from discussions, academicians are also expected to elect new members of the research institute during the convocation.
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