President Shen visited Malaysia for Talent Cultivation and Research Collaboration
Written by Lin Yun-Mao. Image Credit to NCKU News Center
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen led a special delegation to visit Malaysia for academic and industrial exchanges
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen (沈孟儒) led a delegation to Malaysia to support the academic and industrial exchanges with Malaysia and attend the 51th anniversary events by the NCKU Alumni Association of Malaysia, from September 1 to 3.
On September 1st, President Shen signed the International Talent Cultivation Cooperation Memorandum as part of the NCKU-Butterfly Program with China Steel Corporation (CSC) Malaysia office. On the morning of the 2nd, he attended the 38th Mathematics and Science Competition and the 2nd Business Competition, both organized by the NCKU Alumni Association of Malaysia. In the afternoon on the same day, the Department of Chinese Literature of NCKU signed an academic exchange memorandum with the Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies to enhance research in Malaysian Chinese (Mahua) literature. At the end of the day, the 51st "National Cheng Kung University Night" event took place.
46 Chinese independant high schools in Malaysia attended the competitions
Cheng Ti-Neng, the president of the NCKU Alumni Association of Malaysia, said the number of participants in 2023 Mathematics and Science Competition and the Business Competition reached a historic high of 334, setting a 38-year record. The participants were from 46 Chinese independent high schools, including 251 students and 83 faculty advisors. Cheng noted that the Alumni Association was committed to education for Malaysian Chinese and was awarded the Lim Lian Geok Award in 2022. For the past 15 years, the Alumni Association has provided annual student loans of 8,000 Malaysian Ringgit (approximately NT$55,000). The program has benefited dozens of students to date.
President Shen encouraged students to pursue academic excellence and knowledge
At the NCKU Science and Mathematics Competition, President Shen stated that this year marked its 38th edition, while the Business Competition marked its second. “These competitions were not only about rivalry,” noted President Shen, “but also offered students an opportunity to showcase their skills and talents.” The participants demonstrated an enthusiasm for academic excellence and knowledge by actively participating in the program.
President Shen noted, “Malaysians have become the biggest international student community at NCKU, and are important talents for future development of Taiwan. Taiwan's higher education offered an international learning environment and promoted cross-disciplinary and diversified innovation. We welcome international students to come to NCKU. Come to learn, exchange ideas, and grow together with NCKU and Taiwan.”
On September 1st, NCKU and CSC signed the International Talent Cultivation Cooperation Memorandum. This is part of the NCKU-Butterfly Program to foster collaboration between Taiwan and Malaysia in the fields of industry, academia, and Malaysian Graduates Association of Taiwan, with the goal of injecting new energy into the Taiwan-Malaysia relationship. International students at NCKU will be provided with opportunities for summer internships and post-graduation employment at CSC Malaysia. This approach would thus allow students to apply their academic knowledge to their careers, benefiting both industry and academia.
The signing ceremony took place at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, attended by the Office Representative Phoebe Yeh, Alumni Association Cheng and NCKU Executive Vice President Hong-Chen Chen (陳鴻震). “NCKU-Butterfly Program succeeds to serve as an industry-academia collaboration platform for talent development,” noted Yeh. “The crucial role of the NCKU Alumni Association of Malaysia in connecting academia, industry, and the Malaysian Graduates Association of Taiwan, creating a positive and self-reinforcing cycle.”
President Shen looked forward to further academic and industry exchanges between Taiwan and Malaysia
“Universities serves to support education and talent cultivation,” emphasized President Shen. “Educating students and conducting research are two functions of university professors. Universities have to engage in interdisciplinary integration, and achieve significant progress in teaching and developing to take on the roles in the society. We need to engage faculties and industries for collaboration and partnership. This collaboration between NCKU and CSC Malaysian office is an excellent example of a university-industry partnership. This is how universities would fulfill the social responsibility and provide higher education.”
Chiu Ping-Tung, the Group Managing Director of CSC Malaysian office, expressed that one of the shared goals between enterprises and universities was the cultivation of high-quality professionals. This endeavor aimed to drive social development and enhance societal competitiveness. This form of industry-university cooperation embodied a win-win model, catering to the requirements of enterprises while offering comprehensive employment services. It also extended the reach of educational accomplishments and broadened their societal impact. He believed that CSC Malaysia would contribute essential resources, including internship opportunities, financial aid, expert guidance, and employment prospects, to ensure the seamless and effective progress of the collaborative program, ultimately attaining the envisioned outcomes.
On the afternoon of the 2nd, NCKU Chinese Literature Department and the Malaysian Chinese Studies Center signed an academic exchange memorandum. Department director Sheng-Sung Huang noted that the primary goal of this agreement was to connect the research efforts of Taiwan and Malaysia in the fields of Malaysian Chinese literature and the culture of the Chinese community. In the future, besides sharing research outcomes and establishing reciprocal visit mechanisms, they would also collaborate on hosting international conferences. “Malaysian Chinese (Mahua) literature is the writing of the life experience and life course of Malaysian Chinese. In recent years, it has become a prominent research subject in Taiwan and serves as an entry point for Taiwan to understand Malaysian Chinese society.”
President Shen at the 51st “National Cheng Kung University Night” with NCKU Alumni Association of Malaysia
On the evening of September 2nd, the NCKU Alumni Association of Malaysia hosted the 51st “National Cheng Kung University Night” event, bringing together alumni from different generations for lively exchanges. President Shen commented that this event served as a bridge between the university and its alumni and showcased NCKU's spirit and achievements. He expected that these gatherings and shared experiences would create cherished memories and valuable connections for Malaysian students in Taiwan.
Provider:
NCKU News Center
Date:
2023-09-13