National Academy for Educational Research

Professor Cheng, Yuan-Chuan is the President of the National Academy for Educational Research in Taiwan. His research expertise encompasses educational policy, curriculum leadership, and teacher training/education. Hailing from a remote island in his early life, he aspired to become an educator from a young age. Upon entering the field of education, he held positions as an elementary school teacher and principal.

During his tenure as the principal of a primary school affiliated with National Hsinchu Normal University, implementing the nine-year integrated curriculum coincided with his appointment. Recognizing that the foremost concern of curriculum leadership was the professional growth of teachers, he promptly organized a professional community focused on curriculum, teaching, and assessment reform. He successfully completed a school-level curriculum spanning grades one through six, known as the International Education Curriculum. This curriculum not only received recognition with the First Teaching Excellence Award but also created an enduring connection between Professor Cheng’s research, teaching, service, and curriculum leadership and curriculum guidelines implementation.

Later, during his university teaching career, in addition to engaging in school administration, teacher training, and teaching assignment, he took on significant responsibilities spanning education administration to human resource development. As a result, he developed cross-disciplinary expertise in performance management, quality management, knowledge management, and needs assessment, and effectively accomplished various tasks.

During his secondment to the Ministry of Education, he showcased his rich teaching and school administration experience. He was responsible for comprehensive planning, assessment, and curriculum implementation, along with system-wide planning for teacher training and facilitating amendments to the Teacher Act. He coordinated the planning and implementation of projects related to aesthetic education, bilingual education policies, and indigenous education. In these roles, he demonstrated diligence and excellence in the planning and execution of education policies.

Drawing from his expertise mentioned above and extensive practical experience, Professor Cheng aspires to lead his colleagues towards three major visions: Development of an Educational Policy Think Tank, Research and Development Center for Curriculum Assessment, and Hub for Leadership Talent Development.

He promotes a focus on organizational culture that highlights a sense of values and honor at NAER.