Introduction

The institute was established as a cooperative effort between the National Science Council and Academia Sinica and aims to coordinate efforts of researchers and the training of future theoretical astrophysicists and astronomers throughout Taiwan and Asia. It serves as an international center of excellence where forefront research can be intimately integrated into the graduate education at Taiwan's universities and academic institutions. Current research activities span star and planet formation, cosmology and large scale structure, galactic structure and dynamics, and high energy astrophysics including compact objects.

TIARA's mission involves the investigation of the astrophysical processes associated with the formation of structure in the universe. To provide scientists with current developments in the field and to inform the international community of the developments in Taiwan, TIARA runs an active visitors program and organizes and hosts a vigorous series of topical workshops on especially timely areas.

TIARA is also playing a major role in improving the graduate education of students at universities throughout Asia by holding schools on special topics in Taiwan. The schools are geared to college and university students as well as young postdoctoral researchers who wish to deepen their knowledge or branch out into a new area. These schools offer intensive, in depth, courses over a one to two week period to allow a complete pedagogical approach starting from fundamental theory to advanced applications in confronting current observational facts.

In the near future,  coordination and collaborative ties are to be strengthened internationally with researchers at UC Berkeley, the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Xiamen University, University of Science and Technology of China, University of Copenhagen, Kavli Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Beijing and the institutes of the EACOA. Theorists and modellers of common interests and complementary expertise will forge stronger ties and working relationships within the island to maintain self-efficiency. TIARA strives to be a Center for young-adventurous minds in Taiwan who are thrilled by science, technology, engineering, astronomy and mathematics (STEAM).