Taiwan and the Czech Republic have achieved a significant milestone in their bilateral partnership by finalizing a memorandum of understanding on educational cooperation, as reported by the Ministry of Education. The five-year agreement focuses on strengthening research collaboration across various disciplines such as arts, engineering, social science, and technology. Specifically, it involves 12 institutions from the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan and a corresponding coalition of 13 universities in the Czech Republic.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was executed via a video link, with Chen Wen-chang, the president of National Taiwan University based in Taipei City, and Milena Králíčková, the president of Charles University headquartered in Prague, signing the agreement. The event was attended by Minister without Portfolio Wu Tsung-tsong, Ke Liang-ruey (head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague), Jiří Drahoš (first vice president of the Czech Senate), David Steinke (head of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office Taipei), and representatives from the Ministries of Education of both nations.
Wu stated that Taiwan and Czechia, united by shared fundamental values, are dedicated to advancing progressive educational collaboration on the global stage. The agreement reaffirms their joint commitment to fostering the skills of the upcoming generation. He expressed satisfaction in Taiwan sharing its expertise in cultivating semiconductor professionals and advancing integrated circuit designs.
Following Wu's statements, Deputy Minister of Education Lio Mon-chi provided additional details on the agreement, highlighting its focus on language education, life sciences, semiconductors, and other advanced technologies. To support the memorandum of understanding (MOU), the Ministry of Education (MOE) plans to allocate NT$50 million (US$1.6 million) annually, and the National Science and Technology Council will also contribute funds for exchanges of academic and research personnel. The University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT) includes members such as National Taiwan University (NTU) and National Tsing Hua University. On the Czech side, the university alliance comprises institutions such as Charles University, Metropolitan University Prague, and the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, among others, as per the ministry's information.
