At present, most Indigenous-focused academic programs in Taiwan are undergraduate programs, with a strong emphasis on tourism, cultural industries, and the arts. There is a notable lack of Indigenous land–related master’s programs dedicated to cultivating Indigenous professionals with expertise in land issues—expertise that is crucial for the future development of Indigenous lands and environments. Approximately 70 percent of Taiwan’s national territory consists of mountainous areas, which overlap extensively with Indigenous living spaces. When the relationships between Indigenous gathering and fishing activities and the eastern coastline and surrounding island waters are also taken into account, it becomes even clearer that national land conservation, resource management, and environmental stewardship must be integrated with Indigenous development, the realization of Indigenous land rights, and Indigenous knowledge. Only through such integration can the values of historical justice and land justice be realized, while creating a win–win outcome in the governance of land and natural resources.
