National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) to address issues raised by societal aging using methods such as big data analysis.
NYCU president Lin Chi-hung (林奇宏) and NICA deputy director Lynne Corner signed the memorandum at a news conference in Taipei, making the university the center’s first partner in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s focus on health and its technological advantages are conducive to making it a global model for an aging society, said Corner, who is also the director of VOICE, an organization established by NICA to improve geriatric research by collecting knowledge and ideas from around the world.
Photo: CNA
The focus of work on aging populations should be shifted from care to “prevention,” and to designing services tailored to industry needs based on user experiences, she said.
Lin said that aging is not solely a health issue, but also affects economics, society, public health and even national security.
Just like the UK, Taiwan is at a critical point regarding its aging population, and collaboration has highlighted Taiwan’s role as an international player in fostering a vibrant and long-lived world, he said.
“Transforming academic proposals into policies is another major challenge.” Lin said.
As one-quarter of the administrative regions in Taiwan are categorized as super-aged — where more than 20 percent of the population is aged 65 or older — an elder care service supply chain needs to be established to meet society’s needs, said Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津), a senior adviser to the president.
Shen said he hoped that NYCU would leverage Taiwan’s advantage in the field of digital technology to promote research outcomes globally.
British Office Taipei Economic Director Jessica Henry said that with NYCU’s 20 years of experiences in geriatric research, she hoped cooperation between the two parties would be smooth.
She also promised continued assistance from the office.
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