Smart Cities, Healthy Cities: Debut NTU-UIUC Global Issues Forum

National Taiwan University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign hosted the first NTU-UIUC Global Issues Forum at NTU on Nov. 3-4. Focusing on the cross-disciplinary challenges of global urbanization, this year’s theme of “Smart Cities, Global Cities” was established in response to the vast impact of urbanization across the globe. Led by Chancellor Phyllis Wise, the UIUC delegation of 30 members included Associate Chancellor for Corporate and International Relations Pradeep Khanna and Associate Chancellor for Research Peter Schiffer.

NTU and UIUC have sustained a long history of close ties rooted in a strong academic relationship. Up to 80 members of the NTU faculty had obtained degrees at UIUC, and the two institutions have always engaged in discussions on how to strengthen cooperation mechanisms to enhance faculty cooperation. After great efforts, the offices governing international affairs in the two universities decided to co-host an academic forum to serve as a platform for faculty exchange. The forum is aimed at strengthening ties as well as seeking solutions to the challenges of modern society.

This year’s forum featured six sessions based on the theme of global urbanization: Built Environment and Health, Healthy Ageing in Urban Environments, Water, Air and Environment, Transportation and Mobility, Secure/Safe Electric Energy and Cyberinfrastructure, and Smart Agriculture and Food Safety/Security.

NTU Vice President for International Affairs Luisa Shu-Ying Chang hosted the opening ceremony Nov. 3, during which UIUC Chancellor Wise remarked on the positive influences that international academic collaboration creates globally, while NTU President Pan-Chyr Yang (楊泮池) elaborated on the achievements NTU has made through global cooperation programs.

During the first day of the event, participants from the two universities explored the various impacts that the academic community has made to improve the urban environment, discussed the important outcomes achieved from academic research, and shared their ideas for policy-making to promote urban development and sustainability from their respective points of expertise. In concluding the first day’s events, Provost Illesanmi Adesida and Executive Vice President for Academics and Research Liang-Gee Chen (陳良基) exchanged views on the public research institutions’ interaction with and responsibilities to private corporations and the society, sharing their opinions, goals, and achievements on the subject matter.

The second day proceeded with two exciting talks by Vice Chancellor for Research Peter Schiffer and Deputy Vice President for International Affairs Jiun-Huei Proty Wu. Focusing on future plans of collaboration, prospective financing strategies were proposed. Based on the talks, the participants then convened to discuss tangible plans for the next NTU-UIUC Global Issues Forum, which will be held in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus next year.