KU Leuven Delegation Visits NCKU to Deepen Biosciences Collaboration and Explore Multidisciplinary Partnerships
Written by NCKU Office of Internation Affairs. Image credit to NCKU News Center.
On October 28, Prof. Peter Lievens, Vice Rector of KU Leuven in Belgium, led a delegation to National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) to strengthen collaboration in biosciences and explore partnerships in social sciences, digital humanities, AI, semiconductors, and microelectronics. The accompanying members include: Prof. Roel Leus, Chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Chinese Region, Prof. Lieven Buysse, Dean of Faculty of Arts, Ms. Kristien Stessens, Data Manager, and Ms. Tina Ou, Department of International and Cross-strait Education, Ministry of Education.
Group photo of the delegation from KU Leuven and the delegation from NCKU.
Dr. Hong-Chen Chen, Executive Vice President of NCKU, hosted the meeting with representatives from key departments, including the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, College of Liberal Arts, College of Social Sciences, and the Department of Electrical Engineering. Key participants including Chair Prof. Sun-Yuan Hsieh, Vice President for International Affairs, Prof. Ju-Ming Wang, Dean of College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Prof. Shin-Mei KAO, Dean of College of Liberal Arts, Prof. Hsin-Chih Chen, Associate Dean of College of Social Sciences, Prof. Kuo-Hsing Kao, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Prof. Chia-Hsiang Lin, Director, International Relations Division, Office of International Affairs, Ms. Ya-Tsui Ellen Hsueh, Deputy Director, International Relations Division, Office of International Affairs, and Ms. Yuan-Yuan Sophie Cheng, Manager, International Relations Division, Office of International Affairs.
Executive Vice President Chen highlighted NCKU and KU Leuven's partnership dating back to 1993 and congratulated KU Leuven on its upcoming 600th anniversary in 2025. Discussions centered on expanding collaborations through deepening the collaboration on a dual Ph.D. degree program among NCKU's College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KU Leuven, and Belgium's Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC), as well as an exchange student agreement in Bioscience and Biotechnology field between the two institutions.
Executive Vice President Hong-Chen Chen gifted Guantian Black Gold Soap and Aroma Stone to Prof. Peter Lievens, Vice Rector of KU Leuven.
During the meeting, Chair Prof. Sun-Yuan Hsieh, Vice President for International Affairs of NCKU, highlighted that the two institutions have co-authored 44 publications in recent years. Chair Prof. Hsieh suggested that both institutions could actively seek and encourage collaborative research partners for joint research projects. KU Leuven acknowledged NCKU's achievements in industry-academia collaboration and expressed interest in enhancing cooperation through knowledge sharing on technology transfer experiences. Both sides discussed potential forms of future collaboration, including college-level and department-level workshops, student and faculty exchange programs, and synchronized research efforts across various fields covering various fields, including semiconductors, biosciences, cross-cultural communication, Chinese language learning, artificial intelligence, and digital humanities.
Prof. Ju-Ming Wang, Dean of the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology discussed plans to renew the existing agreement with KU Leuven, with intentions to visit KU Leuven next year. The College of Liberal Arts explored cross-cultural exchange initiatives, including scholarships for KU Leuven students at NCKU’s Chinese Language Center. The College of Social Sciences expressed interest in digital humanities and AI collaborations, while Associate Prof. Kuo-Hsing Kao proposed a 1-6 month intensive semiconductor training program for KU Leuven participants.
The delegation from KU Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium visits the Chinese Language Center, where KU Leuven Vice Rector Peter Lievens inquires about the experiences of foreign students learning calligraphy.
To boost student interaction, both institutions agreed to promote opportunities through the “NCKU Study Abroad Fair” and “KU Leuven Online Open Day.” The KU Leuven delegation concluded with a campus tour, gaining insights into NCKU's vibrant learning environment and establishing a foundation for future collaborations and talent development.
KU Leuven is a comprehensive university located in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium and the highest-ranked university of the Low Countries. It is offering study program in Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Engineering and Technology, and Biomedical Sciences, and is catering to about 65,000 students. With an ever growing number of international students, currently about 22%, it is the home for learners from 154 different countries. KU Leuven is among Europe’s best when it comes to fundamental and applied research. Out of all universities, KU Leuven was awarded the highest number of projects under the Horizon Europe program of the European Commission. KU Leuven’s technology transfer office facilitates the impact of these research projects on the everyday lives of people around the world: from life-saving medication to new food to the international online standard of encryption. University Hospitals Leuven combines healthcare with top-level clinical research. All of these elements make KU Leuven a leading institution in Belgium and one of the top universities in Europe.
Provider:
NCKU News Center
Date:
2024-11-01