Taipei, May 14 (CNA) National Taiwan University (NTU) and the Chinatrust Charity Foundation jointly launched on Monday a research center that they hope will raise public awareness of issues related to children and teenagers.

NTU President Lee Si-chen said at the signing ceremony that he hoped the research center could become the think tank the government relies on to plan policies related to children's and family issues.

With Taiwan suffering from a declining birth rate, the center will put a priority on finding ways to raise marriage and birth rates among young people and and help women continue their careers after having children.

The center, the first private sector-sponsored institute focusing on children's issues, will establish a database, publish journals and host symposiums on such issues periodically, said the center's director, Joyce Feng.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Koo Jr., chairman of the foundation, said the research center will invite professionals and scholars to develop solutions to existing problems, especially those plaguing children from disadvantaged families.

(By Hsu Chih wei and Hanna Liu)
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