National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) draws on its academic strengths to nurture interdisciplinary talent. Its Cross College Elite Program provides students with flexible learning paths beyond departmental boundaries, helping them develop the knowledge and skills needed to meet future challenges.
In fundamental science, NCKU collaborates with Academia Sinica, National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University through the Taiwan Academy of Advanced Studies (TAAS). Led at NCKU by the Cross College Elite Program, this initiative supports students with original ideas and a spirit of exploration. It offers personalized curricula, research opportunities across institutions, and scholarships in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and earth sciences. Two NCKU faculty members join leading experts in mentoring students along individual learning paths.
NCKU also connects disciplinary expertise with emerging technologies through the Taiwan AI College Alliance (TAICA). Its “specialty + AI” approach has recorded 27 faculty participants and 2,800 course enrollments from over 51 institutions. Chu Kuan-Lin, a Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering graduate, exemplifies this approach. Combining water resources engineering with a double major in Computer Science and Information Engineering and advanced AI courses through TAICA, he earned the nation’s first TAICA program certificate.
Together, the TAAS and TAICA broaden opportunities for students to pursue fundamental science and apply AI within their chosen fields. The Cross College Elite Program helps them turn scientific knowledge into practical responses to challenges such as extreme climate events and sustainable resource use. These flexible pathways reflect NCKU’s commitment to education that serves society, preparing students to contribute internationally and approach unfamiliar challenges with confidence.