President Tsai presents academic awards, lauds scholars’ contributions

2021/03/24

President Tsai Ing-wen lauded the contributions of Taiwan’s academics March 22, spotlighting their research achievements and roles in cultivating the next generation of homegrown talent.
 
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crucial work undertaken by academic institutions, both in understanding the nature of coronavirus and in developing effective treatments and vaccines, Tsai said. Whether it is through advancing scientific research or inspiring young scholars, the country’s academics are leading from the front, she added.
 
Tsai made the remarks while attending an awards ceremony organized by the Ministry of Education for the seven winners of the National Chair Professorships, three winners of the National Awards for Distinguished Contribution to Industry-Academia Cooperation and 10 winners of the Academic Awards in Taipei City.
 
Among the recipients were Academia Sinica scholars Chiang Ann-shyn and Hwang Bing-joe, who claimed their second professorships on the back of pioneering research in the realms of neuroscience and green energy, respectively. Each is set to receive an annual grant of NT$2 million (US$70,195) over the next three years.
 
According to Tsai, the government is leaving no stone unturned in efforts to strengthen Taiwan’s competitiveness by promoting academic research, advancing industrial development and creating more high-paying jobs. To this end, the country has implemented various policies designed to attract and retain teaching and research staff, she said.
 
Founded in 1958, the annual Academic Awards are the oldest such honors in the country. They were established to encourage innovative research and inspire academia-industry collaboration while raising teaching standards across the board, the MOE said.


Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)