With the support of the project, the platform for scientific research achievements in industrialization held by Ministry of Science and Technology, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) established five college consortium. Today (January 27, 2021), NTHU signed a letter of intent with National Chengchi University (NCCU) , Fu Jen Catholic University (FJU) , Feng Chia University (FCU) , and Tamkang University (TKU) . By integrating five colleges’ complementary specialization fields, forming a key technical team, and promoting industry demand-oriented industry-academia cooperation, domestic enterprises and academia can jointly invest in forward-looking technology research and development; promote different forms of thematic industry-academia cooperation to facilitate scientific research achievements in industrialization and further expand substantive exchanges of research and teaching between universities. Principal He Chen of our school said that many Chinese auspicious words begin with "five," for example, the five blessings will have descended upon the house and the family will be prosperous for five generations right on end. The plum blossoms in Dr. Mei Memorial Garden are mostly five petals. Connecting five schools will surely achieve great results. Professor Ming-Hua Hsieh from the Department of Risk Management and Insurance (NCCU) said that, the industry-academia cooperation between NCCU and the financial industry has been established for several years, so they can provide experience in financial business management cooperation. He also said that NTHU has strong R&D development and hoped that joining the consortium can promote technological exchanges and enhance the technological R&D capacity of NCCU. Ben-Chang Hsieh, Vice President of FJU , described himself as the force of industry-academia cooperation. By learning from the model consortiums, FJU can strengthen its industry-academia and international linkage energy and give feedback to the platform. Bing-Jean Lee, President of FCU , stated that FCU is dedicated to strategic core industries, for instance, national defense and the people's livelihood. They can become a niche point to introduce technical resources for college consortium and to connect local enterprises, which can prosper the industrial capacity of the central region. Chii-Dong Ho, Vice President of TKU , uses 270,000 TKU alumni as one of the strong backup of the consortium platform, connects abundant industry contacts and skills, transforms them into substantial industry-academia cooperation, and leads the industry. Tsing Hua Five College Consortium will devote itself to strategic service projects, for example, the creation of industry-academia cases, the maintenance and promotion of technology transfer patents, the cultivation of high-level talents, and the fundraising of start-up teams, so as to increase the benefits of industry-academia services for five colleges and to establish a network and system. The community then can share resources and make the best use of the material to link with the world and finally reach the goal of sustainable operation. ▲The Five College Consortium led by NTHU was established under the support of the MOST Program on Platforms Platform for Industrialization of Scientific Research Achievements. On 27th, NTHU signed a letter of intent with National Chengchi University, Fu Jen Catholic University, Feng Chia University and Tamkang University ▲Photo after signing ceremony of the Five College Consortium

Considering the impact of the pandemic on 2020, Taiwan's financial and technology industries have expedited digital transformation so that they can provide innovative products and services to customers. In view of the circumstances, the NCCU Global Research Industry Alliance (NCCU GLORIA), NCCU FinTech Research Center, Financial Information Service Co., Ltd., and Global Views Monthly magazine jointly organized the Symposium on the Prospects of Financial Services in Taiwan: Digital Finance, Open Banking, and FinTech. Experience on these topics was shared to assist the financial industry in Taiwan as it undergoes digital transformation and upgrades.   Three main topics of the seminar includes: "Forum on the Prospects for Digital Finance," "Exchange on Innovation and Practices of Open Banking in Taiwan," and "Announcement of Results from the NCCU FinTech Laboratory." The symposium began as, Ms. Lin Rang-jun, deputy editor-in-chief of Global Views Monthly magazine, announced the winner of the " Global Views Monthly 2020 Best Bank in Digital Financial Services," She then analyzed Taiwan's digital financial services and consumer usage situations, and invited award-winning leaders of the financial industry to participate in the "Forum on the Prospects for Digital Finance." Participants included Taipei Fubon Bank Senior Vice President, Brian Chou, Next Bank General Manager, Liu I-cheng, Chief Technology Officer at CTBC Financial Holding, Titan Chia, and Executive Vice President of the Digital Banking Division at Bank SinoPac, Yan Guo-rui, who all shared digital transformation trends as well as challenges and outlooks in these trying times.   “Exchange Innovation and Practices of Open Banking in Taiwan” followed the conclusion of the forum. NCCU and Financial Information Service Co., Ltd. have been active in promoting the "Open API Ecosystem" since 2019. They established Open API business categories, specifications, and schedules, made clear the needs of banks and third-parties as well as the overall market operation, and assisted in the application and trial operation of technology and financial industries' joint participation in open banking. At present, open banking has entered its second stage. The benefits of Taiwan's open API infrastructure and innovative services were described, and three applicant companies for the second-stage open banking trial were invited to share their positioning and development.   Wang Lee-ling, Director of NCCU GLORIA mentioned that: "Second-stage open banking is a critical period for establishing a solid open banking system in Taiwan. Open banking must quickly establish technical standards, information security and risk control, technical verification, legal compliance, auditing and examination, dispute mediation, responsibility attribution, and cyber-insurance. Only then can it keep its momentum moving forward. In addition, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC)'s open banking policy can help accelerate Taiwan’s digital financial transformation and achieve financial inclusion."   In the final session, the NCCU GLORIA FinTech Pilot Laboratory announced their research results and the highlights of future digital services. This includes block chain, Artificial Intelligence, InsurTech, digital finance, RegTech, IoT bots, and innovative FinTech application scenarios. Director Wang emphasizes: "NCCU gives its full support for the digital transformation of industries. It endeavors to construct a healthy FinTech ecosystem in terms of government policy, demand, talent, and funding. At the same time, NCCU assists in the establishment of international FinTech in Taiwan and promotes the sustainable development of the domestic financial industry and the creation of high-quality financial services. NCCU is determined to show the world what Taiwan has got for FinTech.’ ▲ Group photo of the NCCU FinTech Pilot Laboratory: (from left) NCCU GLORIA CEO, Wang Shi-fang, deputy CEO, Chien Shih-yi, CEO, Peng Jin-lung, CEO, Chen Kung, NCCU FinTech Research Center Director, Wang Lee-ling, CEO, Hsieh Ming-hua, deputy CEO, Lee Yi-hsi, and CEO, Tsang Cheng-yun ▲ Group photo of experts sharing open banking innovation and practices in Taiwan: (from left) Far EasTone Telecommunications Vice President, Deng Ai-ying, Financial Information Service CO., Ltd. Vice President, Chen Xiao-mei, NCCU FinTech Research Center Director, Wang Lee-ling, Taiwan Depository & Clearing Corporation manager, Xu Chuan-chang, and Moneybook CEO, Aaron Chen ▲The Forum on the Prospects for Digital Finance in progress: (from left) Deputy Editor-in-chief of Global Views Monthly magazine Lin Rang-jun, Taipei Fubon Bank Senior Vice President, Brian Chou, Chief Technology Officer at CTBC Financial Holding, Titan Chia, Executive Vice President of the Digital Banking Division at Bank SinoPac, Yan Guo-rui, and Next Bank General Manager, Liu I-cheng

The Southern Taiwan Global Research & Industry Alliance (ST GLORIA) held an alliance talent pageant at National Sun Yat-sen University on February 26.  The lively event kicked off right after President Ying-Yao Cheng’s brief talk at 10 am and then Vice President I-Yu Huang hosted the whole talent pageant.  Numerous teams were judged by their technology maturity and market acceptance until 4 pm and 13 teams stood out.  Their technologies include: “underwater vehicle system”, “gene analysis of racing pigeon”, ”household painless accupunture system”, ”bionic adherence technique”, “rapid screening by mass spectrometer”, “industrial production of cell & virus”, ”system circuit integrated analysis technology”, “AI wine cellar”, “rapid screening of polystyrene-eating bacteria”, “silicon photonics technology and application”, “automatic screening system of drooping eyelids”,” a novel botanical drug which has both anticancer and antivirus function”, “positive-pressure nasal breather”.                                                  The details of these fascinating technologies will be published on ST GLORIA website and international technology transfer platforms.  All business development managers in the alliance will facilitate the engagement between talent teams and potential investors.  

The 2020 NCKU Dream-Come-True Carnival Startup Week was held at the NCKU Future Venue and the square in front of the Venue on November 6th and 7th.  The two-day event focused on technology matchmaking and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.  Representatives from various enterprises were invited to attend the industry-academia forum to kick off the event, and founders of startups shared their experience learned in their entrepreneurship journey.  The event had 80 technology and startup teams from NCKU to showcase the results and progress of their research and development efforts.   Deputy Minister Dar-Bin Shieh and Department Director Chun-Yi Tu of the Ministry of Science and Technology, special committee member Chien-Te Wu of the Economic Development Bureau of Tainan City Government, Principal Jenny Su of NCKU, Director Woei-Jer Chuang of the Innovation Headquarters and also the assistant principal of NCKU, Secretary-General Clark Su of Taiwan Angel Club and several enterprise representatives and valued guests attended the event.   Deputy Minister Dar-Bin Shieh of the MOST pointed out: "The spirit of innovation is an important driving force for the development of economy, technology, and society.  Its cultivation can further commercialize technologies and transform them into startups.  For the overall economy, innovation can promote socioeconomic metabolism.  For individuals, entrepreneurship is an opportunity for self-realization, and is also a stage for exerting one's true potential."   The NCKU Dream-Come-True Carnival Startup Week this year is the first large event held by the NCKU Innovation Headquarters since its official launch in August.  In addition to the announcement of results from startup teams conducted on the Demo Day, there is a display of technologies and matchmaking forums and presentation sessions over two days to showcase the results and progress of the technological research and development efforts of NCKU and startup teams.   Chair Professor Woei-Jer Chuang, director of the Innovation Headquarters and also the assistant principal of NCKU, said that in the past the NCKU Startup Week was mainly to promote the startups developed by both professors and students.  The Startup Week this time, hopes to create more collaboration opportunities with enterprises in addition to promoting startups.  Many alumni are also invited to the homecoming event held during the university anniversary to make NCKU's efforts in technology and startups known to every corner of Taiwan. 　 Chair Professor Woei-Jer Chuang said that back in the day, Taiwan's education system did not emphasize encouraging professors and students to explore opportunities in startups. The newly consolidated Innovation Headquarters will focus on this initiative, which is also the direction that NCKU should take in the future.   The previous Startup Week events at NCKU all presented results in conjunction with the Dream-Come-True program at school.  The program has been in operation for three years and helped eight teams establish their startups.  This year, the program has nurtured three teams to form their startups.  For example, the Sumoga team, which develops games on environmental education, has completed the first stage of game development with the grant from the Dream-Come-True program and connected with the U-Start Plan for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the Ministry of Education to establish its gaming software company, Educality. The founder of Sumoga is Juliana Kriskova from Slovakia.  She said that back then, she formed the team of Sumoga based on being a sustainable movement game, which aimed to develop interactive games on environmental education to convey environmental protection.  The games target school-age children from 9 to 12 years old, and the company seeks to incorporate the games into schools' teaching systems. She said that the team could complete the first stage of game development with the grant from the Dream-Come-True program at NCKU before getting connected with the U-Start Plan for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the Ministry of Education to establish its gaming software company, Educality.  This is also the first time in three years since the establishment of the Dream-Come-True program that a team is headed by a foreign student who later on establishes a startup at NCKU. On the first day of the Dream-Come-True Carnival Startup Week, Assistant General Manager Sunny Li of the ASE Technology, Director Chih-Wei Chang of the R&D center of CPDC and Assistant General Manager Yong-Qing Shen of Nan Pao Resins Chemical were invited to the industry-academia forum to share their opinions on the topic of "Key Success Factors to Industry-Academia Collaboration."  The event venue also featured technologies showcased by teams and a matchmaking forum with industry practitioners, and more than 40 technology teams from NCKU participated attended the event.   The Demo Day event on the next day focused on the activities of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Southern Taiwan.  Entrepreneurs such as Ronald Yu of Autopass, Roy Chang of uMeal and others shared their journey of entrepreneurship at the event.  About 50 startups, either still in-campus or are spinoffs of NCKU, also organized an exhibition featuring fun activities to interact with the guests and other teams at the site.

  In order to promote the circular economy and fulfill the social responsibility, the National Taipei University of Technology Global Research & Industry Alliance, EMBA and EMBA Alumni Association jointly organized the "Post-Pandemic Sustainability New Future Forum - Challenges and Responses to Promoting Circular Economy and Sustainable Development" on July 21.  The Forum invited Director-General Jang-Hwa Leu of the Industrial Development Bureau of MOEA, Chairman Giuseppe Izzo of the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT), Vice President Geoffrey Chou of O'right, Assistant Director of the Center for Green Economy of Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, Dr. Chun-Hsu Lin, and other valued guests from the industry, government agencies, and academia to deliver speeches.  The sharing of practical experience covered topics such as Taiwan's overall green policies, circular economy business models promoted by European brands, and Taiwan's challenges and responses.   At present, the focus on the development of circular economy around the world has shifted from the recovery and reuse of waste at the end to take into account the cycles of energy and resources during the design and manufacturing of products and services and the consumption.  Principal Sea-Fue Wang of National Taipei University of Technology pointed out three key issues in his opening speech for the forum: comprehensive policy framework and economic incentives, businesses' determination, and technological innovation. In terms of regulations and policies, the EU announced its European Green Deal at the end of 2019, and the Industrial Development Bureau of MOEA passed the Circular Economy Promotion Plan in 2018.  Both announcements are playing a leading role in encouraging and guiding businesses to shift toward green transformation. In terms of the practices adopted by businesses, the ECCT has advocated for low-carbon initiatives for many years, and many major brands have launched innovative circular economy business models in Taiwan in recent years to head the creation of green supply chains.  O'right, a local company in Taiwan, has launched zero-carbon emission beauty products with zero environmental impact, which fulfill green requirements covering products, manufacturing, green building, CSR and green certification.  They proved to the more than a hundred industry practitioners in attendance that promoting the circular economy may take lots of effort. Still, it can be a "good for business" to fulfill corporate social responsibility while generating profits. In terms of technological innovation, the National Taipei University of Technology has obtained fruitful results in green energy generation, storage and conservation, materials, recovery and reuse of waste, green building, circular design and innovative business models.  Government agencies and enterprises at home and abroad are welcomed to collaborate with the school, and the results are closely linked to the 17 SDGs of the United Nations, which help the school to fulfill its university social responsibility. The Forum attracted much attention both at home and abroad.  The China Productivity Center Foundation (CPC) provided live broadcast in both Chinese and English so that Taiwanese business from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and other places, and the local government agencies, universities, think tanks, and industry practitioners had the opportunity to hear Taiwan's experience in promoting circular economy.  It is expected that it will promote the export of Taiwan's green policy, reinforce international collaboration based on the New Southbound Policy, and create green trade business opportunities. National Taipei University of Technology invited industry practitioners and teachers in academia to participate in the event together, discuss policies, business models, and technological innovation of the circular economy, and promote talent cultivation and succession from the perspectives of the industry, government agencies, and academia.  The school also provided enterprises with new directions in green transformation in the post-pandemic era, fulfilling its university social responsibility as a technical and vocational school system leader.