Following a recent visit by a delegation from Mapúa University to Taiwan, National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) sent a senior delegation to Mapúa University from March 3 to 4 to further strengthen cooperation between the two institutions.

Led by Vice President Cheng-Yu Ku, the visit marked an important step in expanding the partnership beyond institutional exchanges toward deeper collaboration at the departmental and research levels. Both universities reached agreements to promote joint research initiatives, explore dual-degree programs, and organize a joint academic seminar planned for September.

Expanding Collaboration Across Academic Departments

The NTOU delegation included Dean Chia-Ming Fan of the Office of International Affairs,Dean Yu-Wei Chang of the International College,Chair Shih-Wei Tan of the Department of Electrical Engineering and the International Master Program in Applied Artificial Intelligence., Vice Chair Yu-Jia Chiu of the Department of Harbor and River Engineering, Vice Chair Ming-Chih Fang of the Department of Food Science, and Administrative Specialist Kevin Li from the Office of International Affairs.

During the visit, the delegation was welcomed by Mapúa Vice President Delia B. Senoro. Meetings were held with leaders from Mapúa’s Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering programs to discuss future collaboration in research and education.

Both universities also agreed to organize a focused academic seminar between September and October, bringing together faculty members with related research interests and encouraging the development of joint research projects and publications.

Research Internships Leading to International Publications

One highlight of the visit was a reunion dinner hosted by NTOU for 11 Mapúa students who had previously participated in short-term research internships at the university.

Selected by Mapúa University, the students spent six months conducting research at NTOU and successfully completed their research projects. Several participants have already co-authored academic papers with NTOU faculty members and submitted them to SCI-indexed international journals.

Vice President Ku noted that the program demonstrates how short-term research internships can develop into meaningful academic collaboration and international research output.

Academic Exchange and Student Recruitment

The visit also included two parallel activities on campus.

Faculty members from both universities participated in a four-hour research exchange covering areas such as applied artificial intelligence, harbor and river engineering, systems engineering and naval architecture, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, electrical engineering, and food science.

At the same time, the delegation met with Mapúa students interested in pursuing graduate studies in Taiwan. The team introduced NTOU’s scholarship opportunities, research environment, and short-term research internship programs, and provided guidance on the application process.

Looking ahead, NTOU and Mapúa University plan to expand their collaboration through joint research activities, academic seminars, and student exchange opportunities, further strengthening their academic partnership across the Asia-Pacific region.

 

Source:Office of the International Affairs