National Taiwan University hosts Kosovo and Lithuanian delegations, fostering global higher education Cooperation

On April 17, a historic event took place at National Taiwan University (NTU) as it welcomed a cross-party parliamentary delegation from Kosovo, marking the first formal interaction between the university and the European nation. The delegation was received by NTU’s Associate Vice President for International Affairs, Professor Kuo-Hsin Yang, alongside staff from the Office of International Affairs. Discussions focused on potential collaborations in student exchange programs, scholarships, and virtual academic conferences, establishing a foundation for future educational cooperation between Taiwan and Kosovo. One of the notable attendees was Chia-Yo Kuo, President of the Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association and an NTU alumna. Kuo has extensive diplomatic experience and has worked closely with Kosovo on several initiatives, including curating an exhibition at the Kosovo Museum and spearheading the “Domain for Kosovo” movement, which advocated for the country’s top-level domain. Her contributions have significantly strengthened Taiwan-Kosovo relations and expanded Taiwan's presence in global diplomacy. During her visit to NTU, Kuo shared her experiences and insights, which inspired discussions on enhancing higher education collaboration. The following day, NTU welcomed a second distinguished delegation, this time led by the Rector of Vilnius University (VU) from Lithuania, one of NTU’s partner institutions. This visit was a continuation of the relationship initiated in 2022 when NTU visited Lithuania to sign the EU Erasmus+ program agreement. The delegation, headed by VU Rector Rimvydas Petrauskas and accompanied by Vice-Rector Edita Sužiedėlienė and Pro-Rector for Partnerships Artūras Vasiliauskas, was received by NTU Executive Vice President Wan-Jiun Liao and Vice President for International Affairs Hsiao-Wei Yuan. The talks focused on strengthening academic exchanges with a particular emphasis on sustainability. As part of the discussions, Professor Jen-Ping Chen from NTU’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences introduced the International Degree Program in Climate Change and Sustainable Development (IPCS). The Lithuanian delegation also visited NTU’s Global Change Research Center, where Professor Syuan-Jyun Sun presented research on the effects of environmental changes on species. Additionally, the visitors toured the “Smart Campus+NTU” project, which features a microclimate sensing network around the NTU campus, demonstrating NTU’s commitment to sustainability research. NTU hopes that these fruitful discussions and exchanges will further strengthen Taiwan-Europe international cooperation, promoting joint research projects and enhancing opportunities for student and faculty exchanges between Taiwanese and European universities.