Announcement of the 2021 Judicial Reform Thesis Grant Program and Priority Research Topics

2021 Judicial Reform Thesis Grant Program

Announcement by the Judicial Reform Foundation on January 11, 2021

I. Objective

To promote judicial reform, direct policy research capacity, and cultivate talents, the Judicial Reform Foundation (hereinafter referred to as "the Foundation") has specifically formulated the "Judicial Reform Thesis Grant Regulations". By awarding grants, sponsoring publication and printing, and holding thesis presentations, the Foundation encourages the academic community to engage in research on judicial reform issues.

II. Target and Grant Amounts

1. Doctoral Dissertations: A total grant of NT$80,000. Upon passing the first-stage research proposal review, a grant of NT$30,000 will be awarded. Upon passing the second-stage completed thesis review, a grant of NT$50,000 will be awarded.

2. Master's Theses: A total grant of NT$50,000. Upon passing the first-stage research proposal review, a grant of NT$20,000 will be awarded. Upon passing the second-stage completed thesis review, a grant of NT$30,000 will be awarded.

3. Independent Papers: A total grant ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$80,000. Upon passing the first-stage research proposal review, a grant of NT$10,000 to NT$30,000 will be awarded. Upon passing the second-stage completed thesis review, a grant of NT$20,000 to NT$70,000 will be awarded. Independent papers must be at least 20,000 words in length, and the grant amount shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Thesis Review Committee in light of the research proposal and the completed paper.

III. Research Topics

The granted theses must focus on issues related to judicial reform as research topics, including but not limited to academic fields such as law, political science, sociology, forensic science, rule-of-law education, and human rights conventions. The priority research topics for 2021 are as follows:

1. Research on judge and prosecutor evaluations and judicial accountability (e.g., comparative law, indigenous empirical research, etc.)

2. Research on public participation in trials (e.g., implementation of the Citizen Judges Act, supporting measures, performance evaluation, and legislative amendment proposals)

3. Research on technological investigation (e.g., investigative methods, legislative policy, and comparative law research regarding the Ministry of Justice's Draft Technological Investigation Act)

4. Research related to systems such as standard operating procedures in forensic science (e.g., establishment of laboratory accreditation systems, establishment of standard operating procedure systems, regulations on the training and recruitment of relevant personnel, establishment of databases for experts in various fields, legislative strategies for forensic science, etc.)

IV. Application Procedure

1. Application Period: June 1 to July 31, 2021.

2. Application Documents: Application form, thesis research proposal, and a recommendation letter from an advisor or scholar/expert. Please visit the Foundation's website at www.jrf.org.tw to download the application form format.

3. Please email the electronic files of the application documents to hwei@jrf.org.tw with the subject line "Application for the 2021 Judicial Reform Thesis Grant Program". Recipient: Huang Chun-wei, Assistant Researcher. Telephone: 02-25231178*27.

V. Review Regulations

1. The first-stage review by the Thesis Review Committee is divided into a preliminary written review and an oral secondary review. The list of accepted applicants will be announced, and grants will be awarded, before October 1 of each year.

2. Applicants accepted in the first-stage review shall submit their completed theses within the following deadlines:

(1) Doctoral dissertations: Three years.

(2) Master's theses: Two years.

(3) Independent papers: One to three years, to be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Thesis Review Committee according to the submission schedule in the research proposal.

The deadline shall be calculated starting from October 1 of the year of acceptance. Those who fail to submit their theses past the deadline shall forfeit their qualification for the second-stage review.

Applicants may apply in writing with stated reasons for an extension of the thesis submission deadline, provided that the extension period shall not exceed one year and may be granted only once.

3. The second-stage review by the Thesis Review Committee is divided into external review and final review. The list of applicants passing the second-stage review will be announced, and grants will be awarded, before January 11 of each year.

VI. Rights and Obligations

1. Awardees shall not apply for awards, grants, or subsidies from other government agencies or social organizations using the same thesis. In the event of any violation of the prohibition against duplicate grants, the applicant's award qualification shall be revoked, and the grant received shall be returned in full.

2. Applicants must ensure that the contents of their theses are free from plagiarism, adaptation, infringement, or any other violations of academic ethics or copyright-related regulations. In the event of any unlawful infringement, the applicant's award qualification shall be revoked, and the grant received shall be returned in full.

3. When formally published, the granted thesis shall state on the first page: "This work received a grant from the Judicial Reform Foundation, for which special thanks are hereby expressed."

4. Awardees shall agree to grant the Foundation a royalty-free right, without limitation as to territory, time, or method, to publicly display, exhibit, and transmit the entire content of their thesis work.

VII. Other Rewards

The Foundation may further reward awardees through public commendations, arranging thesis presentations, or other activities, and may promote the granted theses by sponsoring printing costs, publishing specialized books or journals, or through other means. Reward activities and promotion methods shall be resolved by the Thesis Review Committee.

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