International Visitors

On June 10, 2025, a delegation from the University of Texas System (UTS)—a partner of the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT)—visited National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) to explore potential academic collaborations and gain insights into NTNU’s Mandarin language education and semiconductor programs.

The visiting delegation included Dr. Archie Holmes, UTS Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Mr. Thomas Farrell, UTS Senior Advisor for International Affairs. They were welcomed by NTNU President Cheng-Chih Wu, Executive Vice President Kwun-Min Chen, Vice President for Research and Development Professor Ying-Shao Hsu, and Associate Vice President for International Affairs Professor Hsiu-Mei Hsieh.

During the meeting, President Wu highlighted NTNU’s strengths as a comprehensive university and its leadership in internationalization. NTNU currently hosts the highest percentage of international students among Taiwanese universities. The university has been designated a bilingual benchmark institution by the Ministry of Education, and offers approximately 886 English-Medium Instruction (EMI) courses annually, providing a wide range of options for international learners.

President Wu also introduced NTNU’s developing semiconductor training program, which aims to equip local students with industry-relevant skills, while offering Mandarin instruction on top of their skill-training. The program is designed to prepare students for careers in leading technology companies.

In response, Dr. Holmes shared updates on the Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE), a recently established initiative led by the University of Texas at Austin. TIE brings together academic and industry partners across Texas to advance semiconductor research and innovation.

Following the meeting, the UTS delegation toured around NTNU’s Mandarin Training Center (NTNU-MTC), where they were received by Associate Executive Director Prof. Chao-Mei Tu, and introduced to the various short-term and long-term programs designed by MTC. Prof. Tu shared that these intensive programs are tailor-fitted to guarantee that the learning objectives of the students are met.

Finally, the UTS delegation met with the College of Technology and Engineering, where they were further introduced to the college’s ongoing semiconductor programs. The delegation visited laboratories in the Department of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Mechatronic Engineering that utilize advanced equipment used in laser processing, micro-nano sensing technologies, system-on-chip development, and precision measurements—highlighting NTNU’s commitment to cutting-edge research and the cultivation of semiconductor talent in emerging technology fields.

On June 12, 2025 a second UTS delegation composed of semiconductor faculty members visited NTNU’s Institute and Undergraduate Program of Electro-Optical Engineering at the Gongguan campus. They were received by Assistant Professor Bor-Wei Liang and Assistant Professor Ching-Wen Chang -- who is actively involved in a collaborative project under the UAAT-UTS alliance. The delegation visited the Quantum Tuning Optoelectronics Laboratory -- gaining insights on fabrication of photomasks for EUV-IL (Extreme Ultraviolet Interference Lithography) among others, witnessing NTNU’s research capabilities in nanofabrication and optoelectronic technologies.

These visits mark a promising step toward deeper academic and research cooperation between NTNU and the University of Texas System.