Effective problem-solving requires not only leveraging new technological frameworks and tools but also innovative thinking. Understanding the needs of different groups and finding solutions to interrelated challenges requires individuals with international perspectives. What is the role of higher education and universities in fostering innovative talent?
Prof. Wei Shyy, former President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a member of the CAPRI International Advisory Council, described his personal journey in higher education from serving in the military and studying aerospace engineering in Taiwan to teaching in the US and leading a top university in Hong Kong. His remarks delved into how universities should work hand in hand with society to address the major social challenges of our time.
Daniel M. Tsai, a member of CAPRI’s International Advisory Council and Chairman of Fubon Group, and Wen-Chang Chen, President of National Taiwan University, then joined Prof. Shyy on stage in a panel session moderated by Josephine Chao, President of Epoch Foundation. The four of them discussed the value of an international mindset in today’s students, the sustainability of Taiwan’s talent pool, and what universities, businesses, and students can do to cultivate resilient and innovative minds.
Sungreat International Convention Hall
College of Management
National Taiwan University
Professor Wei Shyy was the President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) from 2018 to 2022. He first joined HKUST in August 2010 as Provost and Chair Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Prior to this, he was Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson Collegiate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the University of Michigan. He was previously with the University of Florida and GE Research and Development Center in Schenectady, New York.
He was the Principal Investigator of several multi-institutional research projects, funded by the US Government and industries, on future space transport, bio-inspired flight, and computational science. He is General Editor of the Cambridge Aerospace Book Series published by the Cambridge University Press; and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering, a major reference work published by Wiley-Blackwell.
Since joining HKUST, he led and promoted numerous initiatives, including a long-term strategic plan with dual emphasis on curiosity-driven and mission-encouraged pursuit to fuse disciplinary as well as cross-disciplinary programs to comprehensively address issues challenging the society and the humanity. Built on these conceptual foundations, HKUST, in partnership with the Guangzhou City and the Guangzhou University, has established HKUST(GZ) under a “Unified HKUST, Complementary Campuses” framework.
Professor Shyy is an agenda contributor of the World Economic Forum, and has received awards for his research and professional contributions, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) 2003 Pendray Aerospace Literature Award, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 2005 Heat Transfer Memorial Award, and The Engineers’ Council (Sherman Oaks, CA) 2009 Distinguished Educator Award. In 2021, the French Government made him an Officer of the Legion of Honor. In 2023, the International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences (ICCES) honored him the Satya N. Atluri Award.
Daniel M. Tsai is Chairman of the Fubon Group. Originating in 1961 with the founding of Fubon Insurance, Fubon Group now offers the most comprehensive financial services in Taiwan and is also involved in telecom, cable TV, e-commerce, property development, and content businesses.
Mr. Tsai joined the Fubon Group in 1981. Under his leadership, Fubon Financial Holdings has grown from a small property and casualty insurance company into Taiwan’s second-largest financial institution by assets and largest by market capitalization. Fubon Financial Holdings has pursued a vision of becoming one of Asia’s first-class financial institutions with an unrivaled portfolio of financial services. Its major subsidiaries, including Taipei Fubon Bank, Fubon Bank (China), Fubon Bank (Hong Kong), Fubon Insurance, Fubon Life, Fubon Securities and Fubon Asset Management, are all ranked among the top companies in their respective fields. As of the end of 2022, Fubon Financial Holdings had total assets of US$344.7 billion.
Mr. Tsai is also Chairman of Taiwan Mobile and momo.com. Taiwan Mobile is a leading provider of mobile communications, cable TV, fixed broadband services, and digital content in Taiwan. Momo.com, another Fubon Group member company, is Taiwan’s largest virtual shopping brand, encompassing e-commerce and TV home shopping, catalogue shopping.
Mr. Tsai graduated from National Taiwan University in 1978 and received his Master’s Degree in Law from Georgetown University in 1979. He has served on the USC Board of Trustees since April 2012 and the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society’s Board of Governors since 2014 and has been the Council Chairman Emeritus of the Asia Business Council since Mar 2023.
President Wen-Chang Chen is a leading scholar in optoelectronic polymers, block copolymers, and polymer composite optical film. He was the Dean of the College of Engineering from 2017 to 2023 before assuming his role as the thirteenth president on January 8th, 2023.
President Chen received his B.S. from National Taiwan University and his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester, both in chemical engineering.
President Chen’s diverse awards and honors include an honorary doctorate from the University of Grenoble Alpes, Academician at the Asia-Pacific Academy of Materials, and Fellow at the United Kingdom Royal Society of Chemistry. He previously acted as President of the Federation of Asian Polymer, and Polymer Program Coordinator at Taiwan National Science Council.
As president, he plans not only to elevate NTU’s fundraising practices, but also promote an internationalized and inclusive educational environment.
Joining the Epoch Foundation in 1998, Ms. Chao’s role as a president is to build connections between Epoch and the world-renowned institutes, such as MIT and UC Berkeley. Ms. Chao helps the foundation bridge up-to-date technology and innovations between academics and industries to facilitate industrial development to promote economic prosperity in the Asia Pacific region.
To nurture the next generation’s global vision and ability to compete, Ms. Chao initiated the “Epoch School” program in 1998, promoting domestic entrepreneurial education and activities that keep pace with international trends. Over the past years, Epoch School has gained a high reputation among Taiwan’s universities and industries. Epoch School has greatly impacted more than 3,000 qualified young entrepreneurs. They either devoted themselves as professionals to companies or NGOs, started up over 80 companies, or even focused on academic research, all making their contribution to society. In 2008, Ms. Chao took one step forward and launched an incubator program, Garage+, which focuses on early-stage technology-based startups in IoT, computing, healthcare & MedTech, and Green Tech. Garage+ has facilitated 526 startups, over 50% teams from worldwide, and reached 75% successful funding rate.
