SDG4
Leiden University from the Netherlands Visits NCKU to Discuss Potential Collaborations
On the morning of August 28, 2025, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Science at Leiden University, Jasper Knoester, along with Yun Tian, Policy Officer for Global Affairs in the Faculty of Science, visited National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). They were welcomed by NCKU Executive Vice President Yong-Chun Lee and representatives from various colleges for a high-level university meeting between NCKU and Leiden University. The discussions focused on potential collaborations in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, environmental science, and semiconductor research, including joint research projects, co-supervision of graduate students, short-term training, student exchanges, and faculty exchanges.
Executive Vice President Lee first expressed gratitude to Vice President Knoester for visiting in person, noting that face-to-face meetings help strengthen existing foundations and facilitate the expansion of collaborative opportunities. He also reviewed the history of exchanges between the two universities, highlighting that since signing a broad university-level cooperation and exchange agreement in 2005, joint publications have mainly focused on medicine, physics and astronomy, and earth sciences, demonstrating a strong foundation for collaboration.
Vice President Knoester emphasized that both universities are comprehensive institutions with diverse academic disciplines. Leiden University has recently focused on six key research areas: quantum and space sciences, drug development, artificial intelligence, integrated networks, biodiversity, and sustainability, and actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration. He expressed hope to expand the existing exchange programs to explore initiatives such as joint graduate supervision and dual-degree programs, and also invited NCKU scholars to participate in Taiwan Research Day at Leiden University in March 2026.
NCKU Executive Vice President for International Affairs Sun-Yuan Hsieh reviewed the existing collaboration between the two universities, noting that the field-weighted citation impact of their joint publications reaches 35.79, reflecting strong performance. He expressed hope that future initiatives will promote student mobility, establish an annual faculty exchange program, and foster graduate student collaboration in laboratories, thereby deepening research cooperation.
Dean Jin-Jun Tsai of NCKU’s College of Science highlighted the university’s Frontier Quantum Science Research Center and the Han-Min Hsia Space Technology Center as university-level research centers with strong research performance and international collaboration, aligning with potential strategic cooperation areas with Leiden University. Dean Shih-Chun Wu of the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science emphasized the importance of collaboration with industry to advance research and industrial development, particularly in artificial intelligence, which has profound implications for society. He noted that such development requires interdisciplinary knowledge, not only from engineering, computer science, and mathematics but also from the humanities and social sciences, and shared NCKU’s integrated AI campus plan. Associate Dean Chien-Chiang Chang of the College of Engineering underscored NCKU’s extensive engineering background and diverse research areas, expressing eagerness for mutual research visits. Dean Yen-Kun Su and Associate Dean Ming-Chi Chou of the College of Semiconductor highlighted the importance of international partnerships, sharing how NCKU’s College of Semiconductor has established research centers in Europe—leading Taiwan-based centers in Riga, Latvia, and Vilnius, Lithuania—focused on physics, semiconductors, and materials, supporting national policies and industrial talent development initiatives.
The visiting delegation from Leiden University included Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Science Jasper Knoester and Policy Officer Yun Tian. NCKU representatives at the university-level meeting included Executive Vice President Yong-Chun Lee, Executive Vice President for International Affairs Sun-Yuan Hsieh, Dean Jin-Jun Tsai (College of Science), Dean Shih-Chun Wu (College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), Associate Dean Chien-Chiang Chang (College of Engineering), Professor Sheng-Fu Liang (Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering), Head Tsung-Lin Liu, Deputy Head Ya-Tsui Hsieh, and officers Meng-Chieh Hung (Office of International Affairs); representatives from the College of Semiconductor included Dean Yen-Kun Su, Associate Dean Wei-Chou Hsu, Associate Dean Ming-Chi Chou, Deputy Director Chih-Hung Kuo (Chip Design Program), Director Wei-Li Teng (Office of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and International Cooperation), and officer Pei-Hsuan Lu.
Founded in 1575 and located in Leiden, the Netherlands, Leiden University is the country’s oldest university, with a total enrollment of 34,178 students from 120 countries. From 2020 to 2025, its top three research output fields were Medicine (46.7%), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (16%), and Social Sciences (15.9%). The top three fields of joint publications between NCKU and Leiden University were Medicine (38.5%), Physics and Astronomy (30.8%), and Earth Sciences (15.4%).
Executive Vice President Lee first expressed gratitude to Vice President Knoester for visiting in person, noting that face-to-face meetings help strengthen existing foundations and facilitate the expansion of collaborative opportunities. He also reviewed the history of exchanges between the two universities, highlighting that since signing a broad university-level cooperation and exchange agreement in 2005, joint publications have mainly focused on medicine, physics and astronomy, and earth sciences, demonstrating a strong foundation for collaboration.
Vice President Knoester emphasized that both universities are comprehensive institutions with diverse academic disciplines. Leiden University has recently focused on six key research areas: quantum and space sciences, drug development, artificial intelligence, integrated networks, biodiversity, and sustainability, and actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration. He expressed hope to expand the existing exchange programs to explore initiatives such as joint graduate supervision and dual-degree programs, and also invited NCKU scholars to participate in Taiwan Research Day at Leiden University in March 2026.
NCKU Executive Vice President for International Affairs Sun-Yuan Hsieh reviewed the existing collaboration between the two universities, noting that the field-weighted citation impact of their joint publications reaches 35.79, reflecting strong performance. He expressed hope that future initiatives will promote student mobility, establish an annual faculty exchange program, and foster graduate student collaboration in laboratories, thereby deepening research cooperation.
Dean Jin-Jun Tsai of NCKU’s College of Science highlighted the university’s Frontier Quantum Science Research Center and the Han-Min Hsia Space Technology Center as university-level research centers with strong research performance and international collaboration, aligning with potential strategic cooperation areas with Leiden University. Dean Shih-Chun Wu of the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science emphasized the importance of collaboration with industry to advance research and industrial development, particularly in artificial intelligence, which has profound implications for society. He noted that such development requires interdisciplinary knowledge, not only from engineering, computer science, and mathematics but also from the humanities and social sciences, and shared NCKU’s integrated AI campus plan. Associate Dean Chien-Chiang Chang of the College of Engineering underscored NCKU’s extensive engineering background and diverse research areas, expressing eagerness for mutual research visits. Dean Yen-Kun Su and Associate Dean Ming-Chi Chou of the College of Semiconductor highlighted the importance of international partnerships, sharing how NCKU’s College of Semiconductor has established research centers in Europe—leading Taiwan-based centers in Riga, Latvia, and Vilnius, Lithuania—focused on physics, semiconductors, and materials, supporting national policies and industrial talent development initiatives.
The visiting delegation from Leiden University included Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Science Jasper Knoester and Policy Officer Yun Tian. NCKU representatives at the university-level meeting included Executive Vice President Yong-Chun Lee, Executive Vice President for International Affairs Sun-Yuan Hsieh, Dean Jin-Jun Tsai (College of Science), Dean Shih-Chun Wu (College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), Associate Dean Chien-Chiang Chang (College of Engineering), Professor Sheng-Fu Liang (Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering), Head Tsung-Lin Liu, Deputy Head Ya-Tsui Hsieh, and officers Meng-Chieh Hung (Office of International Affairs); representatives from the College of Semiconductor included Dean Yen-Kun Su, Associate Dean Wei-Chou Hsu, Associate Dean Ming-Chi Chou, Deputy Director Chih-Hung Kuo (Chip Design Program), Director Wei-Li Teng (Office of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and International Cooperation), and officer Pei-Hsuan Lu.
Founded in 1575 and located in Leiden, the Netherlands, Leiden University is the country’s oldest university, with a total enrollment of 34,178 students from 120 countries. From 2020 to 2025, its top three research output fields were Medicine (46.7%), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (16%), and Social Sciences (15.9%). The top three fields of joint publications between NCKU and Leiden University were Medicine (38.5%), Physics and Astronomy (30.8%), and Earth Sciences (15.4%).
Leiden University and NCKU have long implemented a university-level student exchange program.
The two universities plan to expand collaboration in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, environmental science, and semiconductor research.
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