Li-chen Cheng, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Social Work at National Taiwan University, has rejoined the Brown School for a six-month sabbatical. Between 1990 to 1995, Dr. Cheng studied for her Ph.D. from 1990 to 1995 and worked on projects at CSD.
During her academic career, she has been a leader in asset-building programs — Family Development Accounts and Youth Development Accounts — for poor families and youth in Taiwan. The first projects were in Taipei, working with then Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, who is now president of Taiwan. This policy concept has since spread to other cities in Taiwan.
In addition to her academic contributions, Cheng has been actively involved in advocating for better working conditions and promoting professional status for social workers in Taiwan. Between 2003 and 2008, she served as secretary general of the Taiwan Association for Social Workers and was elected as the president of the association in 2008. During the period of Cheng’s leadership, the Taiwan Association for Social Workers has grown and become the strongest advocacy organization for social workers in Taiwan.
NTU is a strong partner university in the McDonnell Academy at Washington University. This past February, NTU hosted the McDonnell Asia Advisory Council. Cheng played play a key part in planning that meeting.
She has continued to work with CSD on several important projects, and CSD staff and faculty are delighted she is spending part of her sabbatical with us.