The 2026 BIO Asia–Taiwan Exhibition opened on July 16 at Hall 1 of the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. Led by President Meng-Ru Shen, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU; Booth N416) joined forces with corporate members, NCKU's R&D teams, and partner universities under the Great South Research Commercialization Platform — 25 teams in total — for a joint exhibition. The lineup featured innovations spanning AI-enabled smart medicine, precision testing, biosensing, smart healthcare, minimally invasive medicine, and wearable medical technology, highlighting NCKU's ability to integrate the R&D strengths of its hospital, academic units, industry partners, and allied universities, and to accelerate the translation of research into clinical application and industrial development.

Distinguished Professor Chih-Lung Lin of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Chair Professor Tong-Yee Lee of the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Professor Chia-Hsiang Lin of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Professor Chao-Yu Chen of the Department of Photonics, and Professor Jeng-Shiung Jan of the Department of Chemical Engineering at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) have long been deeply dedicated to scientific research and technological innovation. In 2026, they were honored with multiple accolades at the Y. Z. Hsu Science and Technology Award presented by the Far Eastern Y. Z. Hsu Science and Technology Memorial Foundation, spanning categories such as the Science and Technology Chair, Science and Technology Paper Award, and Science and Technology Invention Award. The recognition of these five professors highlights NCKU's academic accomplishments and influence in the fields of artificial intelligence, optoelectronic technology, and engineering R&D.

The National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) student-built human-powered submarine team, Seawarrior participated in the 2026 European International Submarine Races (eISR 2026), from June 29 to July 10, with their third-generation self-built submarine, Azure. The team not only successfully passed all required inspections and tests during the first week to qualify for the official competition, but also demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the event. They ultimately advanced to and completed the endurance race, setting multiple new team records.

Academia Sinica has announced its 35th convocation of newly elected academicians. Two alumni of National Cheng Kung University have been elected as academicians in the Division of Engineering Sciences: Michael Hsien-Yang Wu, a 1984 graduate of the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Jenq-Shan Guo, a 1981 graduate of the Department of Systems and Naval Mechatronic Engineering, which was then known as the Department of Naval Architecture Engineering. Election as an Academia Sinica academician is the highest academic honor in the nation and a lifetime distinction. The entire NCKU community takes pride in their achievement.

As part of the 70th anniversary celebration of the Department of Physics at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), the Department hosted the NCKU Phoenix Lecture on July 10th at the Conference Hall of the Main Library on the Cheng Kung Campus. Distinguished alumnus and internationally renowned physicist Academician Ching-Wu Chu returned to his alma mater to deliver a lecture titled "The New Journey to the West of the Twentieth Century", sharing the story behind his scientific quest, "The Odyssey of an NCKU 1962 Physics Alumnus in the Search of a Dream."

To further strengthen higher education and research collaboration between Taiwan and France, Dr. Cécile Vigouroux, Director of International Relations at the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (Institut national de recherche en informatique et en automatique, Inria), led a delegation to National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) on the morning of July 3. The French delegation included Dr. Pauline Ravinet, Attachée for Science and University Cooperation at the Bureau Français de Taipei, and Mr. Léo Gaillard, Cybersecurity Expert at Expertise France (embedded in the National Institute of Cyber Security, NICS). Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, semiconductors, robotics, high-performance computing, and interdisciplinary research, with the shared goal of establishing a long-term, sustainable research partnership of global impact and advancing Taiwan–France scientific collaboration to a new level.

Once again, the 2026 Taiwan Best Universities Ranking released by Global Views Monthly has placed National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) second nationwide; the university achieved the highest rankings in both Internationalization and University-Industry Collaboration Performance, demonstrating excellence across research, education, global engagement, and innovation. Furthermore, according to the survey and peer evaluations by university leaders, NCKU ranks No. 2 in Overall Competitiveness and No. 1 nationwide in Engineering, Manufacturing, and Construction, underscoring its leadership among Taiwan’s research universities.

A delegation from the Cybersecurity Institute of Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), led by Director Karine Bannelier, visited National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) on June 25. The delegation also included the Science and Innovation Officer of the Bureau Français de Taipei, along with a French cybersecurity expert based in Taiwan. Representing expertise in academic research, science diplomacy, and industry practice, the delegation was received by NCKU Executive Vice President Shih-Wei Chang, together with representatives from the Office of International Affairs, Office of Research and Development, College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Social Sciences, and Miin Wu School of Computing. The visit further strengthened ties between NCKU and France in cybersecurity technology, talent cultivation, and research collaboration, while opening new opportunities for bilateral cooperation between Taiwan and France.

The 2026 Taiwan–Europe Semiconductor Short-term Training Program, sponsored by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), is once again being hosted by National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). This year, 28 outstanding science and engineering students from six Central and Eastern European partner countries, the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo, have arrived in Taiwan to participate in a two-week intensive semiconductor manufacturing training program organized and implemented by NCKU's Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing (AISSM).

UK-based higher education analytics firm QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) released the QS World University Rankings 2027 on June 18, 2026. National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) ranked 191st globally, entering the top 200 for the first time and setting a new institutional record — reflecting the university's continued growth in research output, teaching quality, internationalization, and sustainable governance.