SDG9
2025 R&D Project Kickoff Meeting: Advancing Internationalization and Sustainability in Parallel
To expand its international influence and deepen campus sustainability development, the Office of Research and Development at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) will promote six major research and development projects in 2025. On the morning of May 6, a kickoff meeting was held at Lecture Room 1 of the International Conference Hall, Kuang-Fu Campus, to present the overall objectives, implementation framework, and project timeline to participating faculty and researchers. NCKU aims to comprehensively integrate and strengthen its research capacity and faculty influence both domestically and internationally through these key initiatives, showcasing the university's active efforts in scientific innovation, sustainability practices, and global engagement.
The 6 major R&D projects launched this year are the "International Advancement Project," "Sustainable Humanities and Technology Field Verification Project," "Sustainability Enhancement Project," "Career Development Program for International Faculty," "NCKU-ITRI Key Areas Collaboration Project," and the upcoming "NCKU AI Flagship Project," which is scheduled to launch in the second half of the year. The first five projects have been approved and are currently underway, with a total budget of NT$104 million. These initiatives have attracted the participation of 188 faculty members and researchers across diverse fields, including science and engineering, biomedicine, as well as the humanities and social sciences.
The kickoff meeting was attended by approximately 150 participants, including project principal investigators, co-investigators, and related faculty and researchers. In his remarks, Vice President Professor Shyy-Woei Chang emphasized that, with the strong support of President Shen, NCKU has invested over NT$100 million in university-wide interdisciplinary flagship projects over the past two years. The resulting ripple effects have far exceeded the resources invested. While current initiatives are funded through subsidies, future development will gradually move towards a competitive model. Vice President Chang also highlighted the abundant research potential of NCKU’s doctoral students, stressing the importance of attracting and retaining outstanding PhD talent. He expressed his hope that NCKU will leverage its strengths in research, development, and industrial innovation to overcome existing challenges and progressively advance into the realm of international industry-academia R\&D, thereby creating more opportunities for the university’s faculty, students, and overall development.
Chuan-Pu Liu, NCKU’s Vice President for Research and Development, further explained that 2 years ago, the university pioneered the use of research funding to support university-wide interdisciplinary projects. This initiative was not only a first for NCKU but also a groundbreaking approach among universities in Taiwan. The program required participating teams to span at least 3 colleges, and its implementation successfully achieved the anticipated “disruptive” effect, garnering widespread recognition both within and outside the university. Building on the spirit of promoting interdisciplinary research collaboration over the past two years, NCKU will launch 6 major R&D projects this year, aiming to strengthen international cooperation, foster cross-disciplinary innovation, advance sustainability, and align with national development priorities. Following this, Wen-Tai Chiu, Deputy Vice President for Research and Development, provided the attendees with detailed explanations regarding the budget execution, project timelines, and performance indicators of the five approved projects.
The Office of Research and Development stated that the "International Advancement Project" aims to promote NCKU's key research areas through international collaborative innovation, elevating these existing strengths into national competitive advantages. Ultimately, the goal is to position NCKU as a university of academic excellence with global impact. Meanwhile, the "Sustainable Humanities and Technology Field Verification Project" focuses on creating a comprehensive sustainable campus and is regarded as a core responsibility of NCKU in fulfilling its university social responsibility (USR). These two ongoing projects have gradually helped NCKU establish a critical role within global research networks and have created practical platforms for sustainable innovation.
Building upon the existing "International Advancement Project" and "Sustainable Humanities and Technology Field Verification Project," three new initiatives have been introduced in 2025: the "Sustainability Enhancement Project," the "Career Development Program for International Faculty," and the "NCKU-ITRI Key Areas Collaboration Project." These new projects aim to further expand NCKU’s capacity for cross-disciplinary integration and deepen its research capabilities.
The "Sustainability Enhancement Project" aims to deepen research on critical issues by promoting interdisciplinary integration, forward-looking research, international collaboration, and actively securing external resources. Its goal is to enhance NCKU’s research capacity and international visibility.The "Career Development Program for International Faculty" encourages foreign faculty members to build long-term careers at NCKU, while leveraging resources from their home countries to expand opportunities for international collaboration. The "NCKU-ITRI Key Areas Collaboration Project" focuses on industry-academia cooperation in the biomedical field, fostering closer ties between research and industrial applications.
Additionally, the "NCKU AI Flagship Project" is scheduled to launch in the second half of the year, with a focus on the forward-looking development and practical applications of artificial intelligence. This project will adopt a comprehensive strategy covering international collaboration, talent cultivation, and industry applications, aiming to strengthen NCKU’s global influence and societal contributions in the AI domain. The Office of Research and Development sincerely encourages NCKU faculty and researchers to actively apply and participate in these projects.
The 6 major R&D projects launched this year are the "International Advancement Project," "Sustainable Humanities and Technology Field Verification Project," "Sustainability Enhancement Project," "Career Development Program for International Faculty," "NCKU-ITRI Key Areas Collaboration Project," and the upcoming "NCKU AI Flagship Project," which is scheduled to launch in the second half of the year. The first five projects have been approved and are currently underway, with a total budget of NT$104 million. These initiatives have attracted the participation of 188 faculty members and researchers across diverse fields, including science and engineering, biomedicine, as well as the humanities and social sciences.
The kickoff meeting was attended by approximately 150 participants, including project principal investigators, co-investigators, and related faculty and researchers. In his remarks, Vice President Professor Shyy-Woei Chang emphasized that, with the strong support of President Shen, NCKU has invested over NT$100 million in university-wide interdisciplinary flagship projects over the past two years. The resulting ripple effects have far exceeded the resources invested. While current initiatives are funded through subsidies, future development will gradually move towards a competitive model. Vice President Chang also highlighted the abundant research potential of NCKU’s doctoral students, stressing the importance of attracting and retaining outstanding PhD talent. He expressed his hope that NCKU will leverage its strengths in research, development, and industrial innovation to overcome existing challenges and progressively advance into the realm of international industry-academia R\&D, thereby creating more opportunities for the university’s faculty, students, and overall development.
Chuan-Pu Liu, NCKU’s Vice President for Research and Development, further explained that 2 years ago, the university pioneered the use of research funding to support university-wide interdisciplinary projects. This initiative was not only a first for NCKU but also a groundbreaking approach among universities in Taiwan. The program required participating teams to span at least 3 colleges, and its implementation successfully achieved the anticipated “disruptive” effect, garnering widespread recognition both within and outside the university. Building on the spirit of promoting interdisciplinary research collaboration over the past two years, NCKU will launch 6 major R&D projects this year, aiming to strengthen international cooperation, foster cross-disciplinary innovation, advance sustainability, and align with national development priorities. Following this, Wen-Tai Chiu, Deputy Vice President for Research and Development, provided the attendees with detailed explanations regarding the budget execution, project timelines, and performance indicators of the five approved projects.
The Office of Research and Development stated that the "International Advancement Project" aims to promote NCKU's key research areas through international collaborative innovation, elevating these existing strengths into national competitive advantages. Ultimately, the goal is to position NCKU as a university of academic excellence with global impact. Meanwhile, the "Sustainable Humanities and Technology Field Verification Project" focuses on creating a comprehensive sustainable campus and is regarded as a core responsibility of NCKU in fulfilling its university social responsibility (USR). These two ongoing projects have gradually helped NCKU establish a critical role within global research networks and have created practical platforms for sustainable innovation.
Building upon the existing "International Advancement Project" and "Sustainable Humanities and Technology Field Verification Project," three new initiatives have been introduced in 2025: the "Sustainability Enhancement Project," the "Career Development Program for International Faculty," and the "NCKU-ITRI Key Areas Collaboration Project." These new projects aim to further expand NCKU’s capacity for cross-disciplinary integration and deepen its research capabilities.
The "Sustainability Enhancement Project" aims to deepen research on critical issues by promoting interdisciplinary integration, forward-looking research, international collaboration, and actively securing external resources. Its goal is to enhance NCKU’s research capacity and international visibility.The "Career Development Program for International Faculty" encourages foreign faculty members to build long-term careers at NCKU, while leveraging resources from their home countries to expand opportunities for international collaboration. The "NCKU-ITRI Key Areas Collaboration Project" focuses on industry-academia cooperation in the biomedical field, fostering closer ties between research and industrial applications.
Additionally, the "NCKU AI Flagship Project" is scheduled to launch in the second half of the year, with a focus on the forward-looking development and practical applications of artificial intelligence. This project will adopt a comprehensive strategy covering international collaboration, talent cultivation, and industry applications, aiming to strengthen NCKU’s global influence and societal contributions in the AI domain. The Office of Research and Development sincerely encourages NCKU faculty and researchers to actively apply and participate in these projects.
Vice President for Research and Development Chuan-Pu Liu explaining the university-wide interdisciplinary projects
Group Photo of the Office of Research and Development's 2025 Major R&D Projects Kickoff Meeting
Vice President Shyy-Woei Chang delivering remarks at the R\&D Projects Kickoff Meeting
