National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) has once again demonstrated its outstanding commitment to global sustainable development. In the official nomination of the Earthshot Prize (TEP), the most prestigious environmental award established by Prince William of the United Kingdom, NCKU successfully nominated nine forward-thinking and innovative solutions. This marks a historic milestone as the highest number of nominations submitted by NCKU. Among these, five proposals originated in Taiwan, while four were international, fully demonstrating Taiwan's higher education's innovative momentum and global perspective on sustainability issues. The nominated solutions address diverse sustainability issues: 5 focus on Fixing Our Climate, three on Building a Waste-Free World, and one on Reviving Our Oceans.

Taiwan, widely recognized as the kingdom of semiconductors, continues to lead global advancements in cutting-edge technology. A research team led by Professor Ya-Ju Lee from the Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing (AISSM) at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) has achieved a major breakthrough by developing an advanced optical neuromorphic synaptic device utilizing all-inorganic perovskite (CsPbBr3) quantum dots (QDs). This innovative device integrates sensing, memory, and computing functions, paving the way for significant advancements in in-sensor computing technology. Its potential applications include efficient color image recognition for autonomous vehicle navigation, smart manufacturing, and medical imaging analysis—offering tremendous opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) development. The team's groundbreaking findings were published in the prestigious international journal “Advanced Science”, earning widespread global attention.

Peripheral neuropathy, a debilitating side effect of chemotherapy, affects nearly half of all cancer patients. This condition causes persistent pain, numbness, and balance issues, disrupting daily life and often forcing patients to halt life-saving treatments. With global cancer rates and demand for chemotherapy drugs like paclitaxel rising—the market for which is projected to hit $11.16 billion by 2030—solutions to these side effects are more urgent than ever. Yet, effective treatments remain elusive.

From December 9th to 13th, 2024, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) was part of a significant visit to the Kyushu region. The visit, which involved a group of 45 representatives from 12 Taiwanese universities (members of the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan, UAAT), was aimed at fostering international collaboration. The visit included a collaboration meeting and 2 sessions of the UAAT Fair. It was based on the Memorandum of Understanding on International Cooperation between UAAT and KOOU (Kyushu Okinawa Open University), of which the four Japanese Universities mentioned are members.