NCKU AI & Robotics Summer Camp Attracts 300 Participants for Cross-Disciplinary Learning-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

The vision of robots collaborating with humans to complete complex tasks is steadily becoming reality. In response to this trend, the Miin Wu School of Computing at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), in cooperation with the Program The World Association, held its first cross-disciplinary, cross-age “AI and Robotics Summer Course & Competition Camp” from August 5 to 7 at the Macronix Hall on NCKU’s Sheng-Li Campus. The camp attracted around 300 participants — ranging from elementary school pupils to graduate students — and combined elements from electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, industrial design, and game design. The final day concluded with robotics competitions at various levels, serving as both the culmination of the camp and a showcase of learning outcomes. With a mix of mental and hands-on challenges, participants of all ages left with a sense of accomplishment.


Over the three days, participants gained new skills and insights. Student Kuo, an incoming NCKU freshman who began exploring robotics in high school through obstacle-avoiding cars and sensors, said this camp gave him valuable exposure to robotics simulation, opening a new field and level for him. One elementary school student remarked that they learned how programming tasks could be divided among team members, with some designing models and others writing code. Students traveled from across Taiwan — including more than a dozen junior high and elementary students from Hualien and even a group from Kinmen accompanied by their teacher — eager to learn the latest in robotics technology and trends.


The opening ceremony on August 5 at Macronix Hall featured distinguished guests: Dr. Miin Wu, Chairman of Macronix Electronics, Dr. Hung-Hui Hsieh, Chief Strategy Officer of U.S.-based Alpha Ring International, Dr. Meng-Ru Shen, NCKU President and Dean of Miin Wu School of Computing, Yan-Kun Su, Dean of NCKU’s Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing, Shuenn-Yuh Lee, Executive Vice Dean of Miin Wu School of Computing. Outside the venue, NCKU’s Science Education Center set up science booths featuring physics and chemistry experiments for attendees to experience the joy of science.


Dr. Miin Wu, Chairman of Macronix Electronics, noted that one of the purposes of establishing the Miin Wu School of Computing was to create a computation-focused college that crosses departments and disciplines, enabling students to learn knowledge from diverse fields. He expressed his delight that this camp not only spanned colleges and universities but also included participants from elementary school to university level. Emphasizing the growing importance of robotics in the next wave of technological development, Dr. Wu encouraged students to master mathematics, materials science, and hands-on skills to build robots that are lightweight, stable, and agile, and to become pillars of the nation.


Dr. Meng-Ru Shen, NCKU President and Dean of Miin Wu School of Computing, observed that robotics is among the most challenging areas of technology. He reminded participants that technology should be rooted in humanity, meeting real-world needs and showing respect for people. He thanked the faculty for organizing the camp and Macronix Electronics for donating Macronix Hall, providing an excellent space for learning cutting-edge robotics technologies and trends while enjoying the process of making and competing.


While generative AI has rapidly developed — enabling video creation, language translation, and text-image generation — these remain largely in the realm of data and model computation. The next wave, Physical AI, focuses on enabling AI to perceive, judge, interact, and collaborate in the physical world. Robots that can see, hear, and move are one of the most prominent applications.


Aiming to cultivate and nurture talent, the Miin Wu School of Computing designed the 2025 AI and Robotics Summer Course & Competition Camp for students from fourth grade in elementary school to graduate school. The program promoted cross-disciplinary and cross-age learning and offered four levels of courses and competitions based on programming ability:


1. AI Robot Grasping and Placing – For graduate-level students in electrical, mechanical, or computer engineering; used digital twin technology to simulate and test scenarios and parameters.
2. Robotics Walking Challenge – For high school and university students with basic robot programming skills.
3. Building Dancing Robots – For high school or university students with no programming background but interest in robot structure and design, preferably with 3D modeling experience.
4. Three-Day “Make AI Move” Robot Soccer – For elementary to high school students with at least basic Scratch block programming skills.


Established in August 2020 with the sponsorship of Chairman Miin Wu, the Miin Wu School of Computing is dedicated to smart computing, AI, and robotics research and education. It provides an integrated interdisciplinary teaching and research environment and emphasizes foundational science education, basic technology research, and societal needs to deliver competitive talent training programs. Its vision is: “To cultivate innovative talents with both domain expertise and computational skills, capable of applying advanced computing technologies to solve real-world problems and build a better future together.”