T-Shaped Talent for A Global Hub: NCKU Gathers 10 Leaders to Discuss Key Qualities for Future Talent
Written by Hsu Tsu-Yueh. Image credit to Sun Yao-Tien.
The year 2021 marks the 90th anniversary of National Cheng Kung University. The university holds true to its core value and initial mission of a higher education institution. On November 25, NCKU held the forum T-Shaped Talent for A Global Hub together with Global Views Commonwealth Publishing Group in Taipei, establishing a platform of communication for leaders in academia, industry, government, and research, to exchange global perspectives and cultivate future talents.
NCKU gathers 10 leaders to discuss key qualities for future talent at the forum T-Shaped Talent for A Global Hub
The letter ‘T’ contains a vertical and a horizontal line, signifying in-depth understanding of expertise and the quality of being broadminded. The T-shaped talents transcend mere ‘talent’ with expertise and collaborative power, they also represent the society’s ‘tomorrow’ and are crucial to the future of ‘Taiwan’, emerging from ‘Tainan’ where NCKU has taken root and grown into a global university capable of cultivating next generation talents with global views.
The forum invited Lai Ching-Te, Vice President of Republic of China, to give opening remarks. Victor Zue, Delta Electronics Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Chi-Jen Li, Vice Chairman of Chengzhi Education Foundation, gave keynote speeches. Two sessions were held with speakers including Liang-Gee Chen, Distinguished Professor at National Taiwan University, Ted Chang, Chief Technology Officer of Quanta Computer, Tsong-Pyng Perng, Chair Professor at National Tsing Hua University, Ma-li Yang, editor-in-chief of Global Views Monthly, Ting-An Wu, Chief of Development of Spring Pool Glass, and Yi-Chang Liang, Senior Partner at Plan b Inc.
Lai Ching-Te expressed the NCKU spirit is the Taiwan spirit
Lai Ching-Te pointed out in his speech that the education in Taiwan has long been focused on cultivating “I-shaped talents” who possess expertise in a single field. However, in the face of the changing world and rising challenges, in additional to experts in specific fields, a nation needs “T-shaped talents” who are capable of taking into multiple perspectives, working with their peers, and utilizing innovative thinking. “The NCKU spirit is the Taiwan spirit,” Lai Ching-Te said. NCKU has focused on fulfilling its university social responsibility (USR) since its establishment and has now incorporated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into its educational goals. As a comprehensive university, each college and departments in NCKU are well developed and possess great faculty. “In my opinion, NCKU is the best educational institute for cultivating T-shaped talents.” Lai Ching-Te gave NCKU high praises and expressed his honor being an alumnus of the university.
Huey-Jen Su (left) gifts the university's commemorative liquor to Vice President Lai Ching-Te (Right)
Taking example from the “Renaissance man”, Huey-Jen Su stated that humans create new era of prosperity after hardship. Now, as humans face the problems of climate change, wealth inequality, and health inequality, what a university can do aside from cultivating specialists is to cultivate “T-shaped talents” who possess comprehensive interdisciplinary knowledge and integration ability. “With the width and depth of their knowledge and wisdom, and with a caring attitude to the community, the T-shaped talents can cooperate and help the world together.” Huey-Jen Su took Sun Yun-Suan, former Premier of the Executive Yuan, and Bruce Cheng as example to demonstrate how NCKU passes on its core value and responsibility, and stated that NCKU will continue to work with all partners in industry, government, academia, and research in the future, making joint contributions to cultivating the next generation that can shape the world.
Victor Zue sent his congratulations to NCKU’s 90th anniversary via a pre-recorded video
When Victor Zue visited NCKU in 2009, he discussed higher education with then president Ming-Chiao Lai and shared with NCKU faculty and students his experiences conducting research in the United States. This time, he sent his congratulations to NCKU’s 90th anniversary and Delta Electronic’s 50th anniversary via a pre-recorded video, in which he talked about how being “inspirational, willing to teach, and willing to learn” are key qualities for a model scholar. He also takes Delta Electronics and Bruce Cheng as example to encourage everyone to make practical contributions to help planet Earth in facing climate change.
Liang-Gee Chen exchanged views on cultivating T-shaped talents with Ted Chang and Tsong-Pyng Perng.
Liang-Gee Chen was the host of the first session and exchanged views on cultivating T-shaped talents with Ted Chang and Tsong-Pyng Perng. Ted Chang expressed that he expanded his horizon and enhanced his professional abilities in the process interacting with members in NCKU, which also taught him to have empathy, sympathy, and curiosity. Tsong-Pyng Perng encouraged students to take part in international volunteer and social services in order to understand the roles they can play in the society and to understand what contributions they can make.
Chi-Jen Li talked about the development of new generation talents
Chi-Jen Li talked about the development of new generation talents, integrating his rich experiences in academia and industry and experiences with innovation teams. He encouraged the students to work on their skills of integrative learning, focused execution, swift adaptation, and resistance as they are heading into a fast-changing world. Ma-Li Yang then led the broad discussion on providing talents with global views with Ting-An Wu and Yi-Chang Liang. Ting-An Wu expressed that the NCKU experience cultivates both one’s expertise and one’s lifestyle, and that it also fosters strong bonds between its alumni. NCKU students are encouraged to first explore in depth their expertise as an I-talent before progressing into becoming T-shaped talents. Yi-Chang Liang talked about personal experience and urged future T-shaped talents to hold their own moral values and to step out of their comfort zone to work with people from different backgrounds.
Ma-Li Yang led the broad discussion on providing talents with global views with Ting-An Wu and Yi-Chang Liang
Speakers in the forum come from each field in the industry, government, academia, and research. Via exchanging viewpoints, combining observation in current industry and social needs, the discussions provide a clearer direction for the nation and society to follow in cultivating future talents. The forum attracted around 300 participants on-site, including NCKU faculty, students, and alumni, readers of the CommonWealth Group. The forum was also live-streamed on NCKU Facebook Page for the public to view.
Provider:
News Center
Date:
2021-11-26
