On November 24th, the President of National Chengchi University, Li Tsai-Yen, along with faculty members, traveled to Charles University in the Czech Republic to participate in the opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the “Supply Chain Resilience Center” (SCRC) cooperation memorandum and sign a detailed cooperation agreement with the President of Charles University, Milena Králíčková, for the five-year project. The SCRC project, which has been in preparation for a year, is jointly planned by the International College of Innovation (ICI), National Chengchi University and the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University. It aims to deepen the cooperation between the two universities on emerging technology issues and open a new chapter in academic and research exchanges between Taiwan and the Czech Republic. As the point person for Taiwan, ICI Associate Dean Lien Hsien-Ming stated that National Chengchi University and Charles University are both key players in the fields of humanities and social sciences in Taiwan and the Czech Republic respectively. They are facilitating interdisciplinary exchanges between the two universities on semiconductor-related issues, leveraging the research contributions of various colleges at National Chengchi University. This fully demonstrates ICI’s ability to grasp international issues and connect the cross-disciplinary capabilities of different colleges.
Regarding the SCRC opening ceremony, in addition to President Li Tsai-Yen, there were 16 representatives from National Chengchi University, including the International College of Innovation, the College of Social Sciences, the College of Science, the College of Commerce, the College of Communication, and the College of Foreign Languages and Literature, who participated in advance meetings with relevant departments at Charles University. On the day of the opening ceremony, the ribbon-cutting representatives included not only President Li Tsai-Yen of National Chengchi University and President Králíčková of Charles University but also Wu Cheng-Chung, Chairman of the National Science and Technology Council, Ke Liang-ruey, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Prague, Václav Hampl, Chairman of the Czech Senate, Alena Vitásková, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, and other dignitaries, demonstrating the high level of attention and importance given to this center by both countries.
In his speech, President Li Tsai-Yen mentioned the importance of a stable chip supply for national security, democracy, and a sustainable future. He emphasized that there are many areas in chip technology and supply chain management where Taiwan can cooperate with the Czech Republic. President Li Tsai-Yen expressed that National Chengchi University is honored to represent Taiwan and work with Charles University in the Czech Republic to promote research on semiconductor supply chains, explore the geopolitics behind chip supply chains, and cultivate forward-looking talents. He stated, “Let Taiwan and the Czech Republic work together to advance steadily in semiconductor technology, lead internationally, and promote a sustainable future.”
At this critical moment of restructuring the chip supply chain, the SCRC project will run from 2023 to 2027, focusing on geopolitics, supply chain resilience, education investment, and environmental sustainability. It will integrate the expertise of scholars from Taiwan and the Czech Republic, strengthen the resilience of the Czech chip industry, promote cooperation and exchange between experts and scholars from both countries, and collaborate with the industry to enhance the project’s impact. This project is a milestone in the bilateral social science cooperation between Taiwan and the Czech Republic in the context of high technology. Through the efforts of the ICI, NCCU in establishing this platform, it is hoped that various colleges of National Chengchi University will gradually engage in cooperative dialogues with Charles University, deepen joint research and student exchanges with Czech higher education institutions, and establish a more solid foundation for academic cooperation in other fields between the two sides.
