National Cheng Kung University held The Phoenix Lecture on September 29, inviting Wei-Fuu Yang—Former Director-General of the Water Resources Agency, Administrative Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, Acting Chairman of CPC Corporation, Chairman of Taiwan Power Company, and Chairman of Taoyuan International Airport Corporation, chairman of Taiwan Power Company, and Former Chairman of Taoyuan International Airport—to speak on “Cross Boundaries, Live Undefined.” According to his own career, he encouraged students to embrace new challenges, even in difficult circumstances.His candid reflections and career insights drew an enthusiastic response from the audience.

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) welcomed Professor Yassine Lakhnech, President of Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), France, to campus on October 6, 2026, for a special keynote address on “Vision and Opportunities for Global Collaboration.” Held at NCKU’s Macronix Hall, the speech brought together faculty and students to exchange perspectives on international collaboration, interdisciplinary research, and the future of talent development in higher education.

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) and Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), France, signed the NCKU–UGA Collaborative Research Cluster Agreement on the afternoon of October 5, 2026. NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen and UGA President Yassine Lakhnech signed the agreement on behalf of the two universities, formally establishing a Cluster-to-Cluster collaboration mechanism to foster closer connections between research groups across disciplines and borders. Following the signing ceremony, the two universities held the Strategic Partnership Meeting to exchange views on priority areas for collaboration, connections among research teams, and mechanisms for advancing future initiatives, injecting new momentum into Taiwan–France research collaboration.

The National Cheng Kung University Museum and the University of Tsukuba have jointly curated Mero-Holo: Rethinking the Concept of Kata, which will officially open at the University of Tsukuba Central Library in Japan on October 1, 2026, and run through October 31. Centered on Kata （型）, the exhibition draws on the perspective of Mero-Holo, or “parts and whole,” to explore how the body serves as an important medium for learning, transmitting, and understanding knowledge. Beginning with the practical experiences of student clubs, the exhibition examines how embodied practice contributes to the acquisition, transmission, and understanding of knowledge.

As the first anniversary of the Matai’an Creek landslide-dammed lake breach disaster approaches, Guangfu Township—once severely impacted by mudflows and sediment deposits—remains on the path to recovery and reconstruction. One year after the disaster, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) has launched a three-year Hualien Science Workstation to bring the university’s academic research capacity into the affected area. Covering farmland, forests, and communities, the workstation maintains ongoing dialogue with local residents and responds to real and urgent needs.

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) held its 2026 Teachers’ Day Celebration on September 23 at Cheng-Hsing Hall on the Cheng-Hsing Campus. The event honored faculty members for guiding students through knowledge and inspiring them to explore new ideas and possibilities through both teaching and personal examples. A total of 151 faculty members received 162 honors across nine award categories, including the Excellent Teacher Award, Education Contribution Award and Professor Emeritus. The awards recognized their dedication and contributions to teaching, research and service.

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) recently hosted a delegation from Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT), led by President Nariman Farvardin, alongside representatives from Taiwan's Ministry of Education. Welcoming the guests, Executive Vice President Shyy-Woei Chang highlighted a shared ethos of applying knowledge to tackle real-world challenges. Highly praising NCKU’s R&D capabilities and industry linkages, the SIT delegation agreed to initiate course alignment, establish "3+2 Dual Degree Programs," and launch summer semiconductor study initiatives to cultivate high-tech talent.

Associate Professor Wei-Hsuan Hsu of NCKU’s Institute of Food Safety, Hygiene and Risk Management focuses her research on gut microbiota and extracellular vesicle-mediated interspecies communication. Her work goes beyond examining how microorganisms affect human health to explore how microbes and their hosts communicate with each other, with applications extending to next-generation probiotics, food safety, environmental pollution, and precision health. Moving beyond the traditional research framework of explaining health and disease primarily through the composition of the gut microbiota, Prof. Hsu proposes that extracellular vesicles may serve as important messengers linking diet, the environment, gut microorganisms, and human health. Her research provides a new scientific foundation for disease prevention and health promotion and has earned her recognition with the 2026 Ta-You Wu Memorial Award.

On September 15, the Academia-Industry Consortium for Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) held its 13th Member Assembly and Board of Directors and Supervisors Election at the National Science and Technology Council’s Cybersecurity and Smart Technology R&D Building in Shalun, Tainan. National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) President Meng-Ru Shen was re-elected Chairman by a wide margin, and Vice President Yung-Chun Lee was elected Chief Supervisor. In the afternoon, a themed forum on silicon photonics and advanced packaging followed at the same venue, featuring a keynote speech by National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Cheng-Wen Wu titled “The Greater South’s Future: Taiwan’s New Science and Technology Policy Framework.” Wu shared insights on industrial development and technology policy planning for the Greater South region. The event drew nearly 200 participants from southern Taiwan’s related industry-chain companies, corporate and institutional bodies, and university representatives.

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Distinguished Alumnus Ho-Shang Lee, Chairman of Taiwan Great Land Fiber Co., Ltd., regards quantum physics as a fundamental foundation of modern technology and a broad range of scientific disciplines. To advance quantum education at his alma mater, Lee generously donated funds to establish the course “Frontier Quantum Science and Technology.”Now in its second year, the course welcomed Lee on September 18 to share with students his perspectives on quantum physics and his own learning experience.