This is Po-Hao Lin from National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan. I was honoured to have been accepted as a visiting research student at the Centre for the Studies of the Renaissance (CSR) at the University of Warwick from 2022 to 2023.

My research topic was The Making of Richard III’s Kingship in English History and Shakespeare's Theatre and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct my research at the CSR. The environment of CSR and the University of Warwick is ideal and rich in resources for doing research on all aspects of Renaissance.

During my research stay, I had the privilege of being supervised by Dr Carol Chillington Rutter, an internationally recognized expert with a profound influence on Shakespeare studies. I was honoured to receive her invaluable guidance and academic share. We had monthly discussions, during which I was able to refine my ideas and address any blind spots in the research. Dr Rutter consistently offered valuable suggestions that enriched my perspectives and provided new approaches to understanding Shakespeare more critically. Thanks to her mentorship, my research had an incredible opportunity to develop into a stronger piece of work.

At the CSR, I also had the opportunity to take a course in English Palaeography taught by Dr Esther van Raamsdonk. The centre annually offers courses in palaeography in both Italian and English, making the centre stand out among other research institutions in the UK and around the world. The importance of palaeography cannot be overstated since it greatly helps reduce the barriers to deciphering original documents and records from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Moreover, with few palaeography experts in Taiwan, I thus felt particularly fortunate to have this opportunity to get involved in the field.

Geographical convenience was one of the advantages of conducting research at the CSR at the University of Warwick. The university is one hour away from London and the University of Oxford, and it is close to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare and home to the Royal Shakespeare Company, along with many more locations within a half-day’s journey away. The location allows easy access to a wealth of various resources. Moreover, for those planning to do research at the CSR, the University of Warwick recently has a newly established campus in Venice, Italy. Being in close proximity to this Renaissance treasure may greatly benefit your research.

The CSR comprises interdisciplinary academics from departments such as English and Comparative Literary Studies, History, History of Arts, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, and more. The broad expertise would definitely enhance one’s research and exploit one’s research potential. Besides the diverse research support,the CSR has a highly heterogeneous group of research fellows and PhD students from various cultural backgrounds. Those planning to pay a research visit at the CSR can enjoy wonderful exchanges of cultures and knowledge－a great advantage of conducting research at the CSR.

I was fortunate to be accepted into the CSR as a visiting research student at the University of Warwick. The year I spent at the CSR and the university truly broadened my worldview, helping me develop a more critical way of thinking and expand my connections with people of diverse backgrounds. It was a year full of wonders without a doubt.