The National Digital Archives Program (NDAP), which was officially launched in January, 2002, has been restructured with the focus on national development as a whole. Its establishment was based on the experience gained through the implementation of three earlier projects sponsored by the National Science Council, namely, the Digital Museum Project, the National Archive Digitization Program, and the International Digital Library Cooperation Plan. It is the only national science and technology program that places emphasis on the humanities and social sciences. The scope of the digital archives program can effectively enhance the accumulation, dissemination, and application of knowledge, and thereby serve as a key link between different sectors of the knowledge-based economy. Taiwan, which has a mature Internet infrastructure, is now a leading manufacturer and supplier of IT products and services. The nation also continues to play a major role in Chinese language studies and Sinology. To consolidate and build on the successes achieved so far, the government has implemented a major reform program that calls for expansion of the knowledge economy and the transformation of Taiwan into a “Green Silicon Island.” Other countries in the world are actively promoting digitization through projects like the Memory of the World Program of the United Nations and the American Memory Project of the U.S. Library of Congress, just to name a few, to accelerate the upgrading of their cultural and information industries and maintain their competitiveness in terms of academic development. Taiwan is doing the same by using its national resources to promote this digital archives program.

With the active participation of the NDAP Program Office and various domestic archive organizations, NDAP Phase I (2002-6) digitized selected representative cultural assets. The project not only preserved many important information assets for cultural and academic research, but also helped establish the metadata standards and specifications for the program. The first phase of the program involved the collaboration of various industries, government agencies, academic institutions, and research organizations. It integrated academic research, practical applications, and technology transfer into a viable system for mutual cooperation and support. At the same time, it helped develop the talents of people involved in the digital-content industries. The program has won wide recognition from various international digital libraries. As a result, the team responsible for the program has been active in exchanges and cooperation with related international organizations and continues to share experiences about digitization with its counterparts in a number of European and American museums.

Digital archiving is a lifetime work dedicated to the enhancement of the nation’s cultural and technological competitiveness in the information age. To consolidate and build on the successes achieved to date, NDAP Phase II was launched in 2007. Its primary purpose is to foster indigenous values, demonstrate Taiwan’s cultural diversity, and showcase the cultural uniqueness of Taiwan.

The overall objectives of NDAP - Phase II can be divided into three major categories:

(1)     To showcase Taiwan’s biological, cultural, and social diversity.

(2)     To promote the cultural, academic, socio-economic and educational values engendered by the NDAP.

(3)     To develop an international cooperation and exchange network, and promote awareness about Taiwan’s cultural heritage.

To achieve the above goals, three key projects have been established, namely, the Taiwan Digital Archives Expansion Project, the Cultural, Academic, Socio-Economic, and Educational Promotions and Applications Project, and the International Collaboration and Promotion Project. In addition, the Research & Development of Technology Project and the Network Core Platforms Project have been set up to develop an automated management system to preserve and disseminate the digital archives.

The visions of NDAP Phase II are as follows: establish a sustainable digital archives program to showcase Taiwan’s linguistic, biological, and cultural diversity; develop practical applications of the archives to abridge the digital divide; and promote international exchange and cooperation to help create a better civilization for humanity.