NCKUAt 99: Toward Its Centennial 

NCKU International Advisory Board 
Envision the Blueprint for a World-Leading University

On September 26th and 27th, 2025, NCKU gathered global leaders the International Advisory Board to chart its next five-year strategy in alignment with the vision “NCKU for the long haul– toward our centennial.” President Meng-Ru Shen summarized the university’s legacy, which begins in  1931, and highlighted its mission to nurture talent, contribute to society, and advance national development. NCKU focuses on four key areas—education, research, international engagement, and industry innovation—and has made three core commitments to faculty welfare, student learning resources, and humanities education, in the context of its overarching goal of cutting a path toward a world-leading future.

Moving Forward Together: Showcasing NCKU’s Achievements

This year, under strong leadership across nine colleges and the affiliated hospital, NCKU delivered substantial results: The College of Planning and Design (Dean Hsueh-Sheng Chang) advanced net-zero and social good through cross-disciplinary innovation; the College of Science (Dean Chin-Chun Tsai) made gains in quantum technology, nanomedicine, and space science; the College of Engineering (Dean Chyan-Deng Jan) made progress regarding net-zero, offshore wind, and aerospace/defense; the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Dean S. Felix Wu) focused on AI, semiconductors, and cybersecurity; the College of Liberal Arts (Dean Wen-Sung Chen) linked global vision with local practice via the Chinese Language Center and bilingual education; the College of Social Sciences (Dean Chun-Li Tsai) deepened public governance and AI education; the College of Management (Dean Pei-Fang Su) strengthened AI, sustainability, and global ties; the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology reported high-impact cross-field research; the College of Medicine (Dean Hsiu-Chi Cheng) advanced AI-driven translational medicine and international collaboration; and National Cheng Kung University Hospital (Superintendent Ching-Wei Lee) built a smart-health ecosystem with integrated AI that Newsweek has ranked 140th worldwide and 4th in Taiwan.

Fostering Talent with Balanced Hard and Soft Skills in the AI Era

NCKU combines expertise with humanistic growth and thus boasts AI literacy and leadership as core strengths. Students gain hard skills through cross-disciplinary learning, and they acquire soft skills through life and aesthetic education. Having integrated AI into courses and leadership training on decision-making, communication, and teamwork, NCKU fosters three key traits: teamwork, compassion, and resilience.

Advancing National Security Industries and Global Partnerships

As a leader in higher education, NCKU deeply recognizes the necessity of addressing the nation's sustainability challenges, including geopolitical risks, natural disasters, major infectious diseases, economic instability, and food crises. To help safeguard the future, NCKU will cultivate interdisciplinary talent, promote the localization of national security industries, and strengthen international linkages and experience sharing. As evidenced by concrete actions, the university is committed to safeguarding the security and sustainable development of society and the nation.

The International Advisory Board has affirmed NCKU’s recent progress and future-oriented roadmap, and its members have offered advice on student leadership, internationalization, and campus planning. With “innovation as momentum, interdisciplinarity as method, and sustainability as vision,” NCKU will continue to strengthen its foundations and global ties as the institution moves steadily toward its centennial.