Mon, Jan 10, 2022 page3

• Universities apply to set up academies

  COOPERATION: Four universities plan to establish academies in collaboration with industry, with firms pledging funds of up to NT$200 million to help train talent

  • By Wu Po-hsuan / Staff reporter
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  Four universities have applied to the Ministry of Education to establish academies to train talent in key industries, such as a circular economy, smart manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI).

  The Act for National Key Fields Industry-University Cooperation and Skilled Personnel Training (國家重點領域產學合作及人才培育創新條例), promulgated in May last year, allows universities to seek industrial partners to establish academies in key fields determined by an interagency committee.

  In the second wave of applications following the act’s promulgation, National Chengchi University (NCCU) plans to establish an international finance academy, while National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) plans to open an academy on sustainable agriculture and green technology research, ministry documents showed.

  

  President Tsai Ing-wen, front row fourth left, National Taiwan University (NTU) president Kuan Chun-ming, front row fifth left, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung, front row third left, National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin, front row fifth right and Etron Technology Inc chairman Nick Lu, front row second left, attend the unveiling of NTU’s Graduate School of Advanced Technology in Taipei on Dec. 24 last year.

  Photo: CNA

  National Chung Cheng University (CCU) tendered two applications: for an academy on international finance management and another on national key fields, with the latter aiming to foster talent on semiconductor packaging and testing, and on precision component manufacturing, the documents showed.

  National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) has applied to establish an academy on industry-university innovation, seeking to cultivate vocational talent on AI and smart manufacturing, the documents showed.

  The ministry would announce the results within two months of receiving the universities’ applications, it said.

  The future of universities lies in partnering with industry to foster talent, NCCU president Kuo Ming-cheng (郭明政) said on Saturday.

  NCCU would integrate resources from its law, finance and information departments to train legal compliance professionals who could work in financial companies in developed economies or countries targeted by the governments’ New Southbound Policy, he said.

  The planned academy would adopt bilingual education in Chinese and English, and provide training for a third language, such as Thai, he said, expressing the hope that the children of overseas Taiwanese would come to Taiwan for study.

  Some public and private banks, as well as some financial holding companies, have signed letters of intent with NCCU, Kuo said.

  NCHU president Shieu Fuh-sheng (薛富盛) said the university’s planned academy on sustainable agriculture and green technology research aims to train talent for a circular economy.

  It would focus on the nation’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and the UN’s sustainable development goals, while developing advanced agricultural biotechnology, he said.

  NCHU has signed a contract with CH Biotech R&D Co, which would donate NT$25 million (US$902,853) every year over a decade to help with talent training, Shieu added.

  The planned academy would recruit 20 master’s program students and 10 doctoral students every year, who would be granted monthly scholarships of NT$20,000 and NT$30,000 per person respectively, he said.

  NCHU is also in talks with semiconductor and energy firms regarding training green technology talent, Shieu said.

  Based on its connections with industrial partners, NTUST last month tendered its application to create an innovation academy, university secretary-general Lu Cheng-hsiu (呂政修) said.

  The planned academy would focus on smart manufacturing, AI, green energy and a circular economy, and recruit 90 master’s students and 15 doctoral students every year, he said.

  Its industrial partners have promised to provide NT$100 million every year for 12 years, Lu said.

  National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) on Nov. 8 last year tendered applications to establish an academy on advanced semiconductor packaging and testing and another on precision electronics, university vice president Huang I-yu (黃義佑) said.

  Unlike the four semiconductor research academies at National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, National Tsing Hua University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, NSYSU aims to foster talent for industrial chains, he said.

  Seven companies have agreed to provide NT$100 million to NT$200 million every year, while the academies would recruit 120 master’s students every year, Huang said.
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