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President Mai-Szu Wu engaged in discussions and took a group photo with other attendees at the forum. From left to right: OHTAKE Naoto, President, Institute of Science Tokyo, President Mai-Szu Wu, OGAWA Hisao, President, Kumamoto University, and Tony Kuo, Vice President for International and Cross-Strait Affairs, Shih Chien University

Themed “The Future of the Region: Challenges of Universities in Japan and Taiwan in the Innovative Era,” the Forum brought together over 160 delegates from more than 80 universities and higher education institutions from both countries. Organized by the Japan Committee of Universities for International Exchange (JACUIE) and the Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan (FICHET), and hosted by Kumamoto University, the event provided a high-level platform for exploring strategies to address regional innovation, talent cultivation, and academic collaboration.
 

As part of the program, TMU President Mai-Szu Wu served as a panelist in the session on “Digital Transformations in Higher Education,” where he presented TMU’s vision of digital transformation not simply as a technological upgrade, but as a strategic reimagination of teaching, learning, and healthcare professional training. Framed as a shift “From Humanity to Innovation,” President Wu introduced TAIP-X (TMU AI Integrated Platform X)—a generative AI-enhanced ecosystem that integrates clinical service delivery and education across acute, ambulatory, and advanced care. The platform supports smart ward technologies, telemedicine, digital pathology, and precision diagnostics while also enriching students’ clinical learning environments.

He also highlighted the upcoming implementation of the Virtual Hospital System (VHS) across TMU’s health colleges, enabling students to participate in simulated clinical encounters, AI-assisted decision-making, and interdisciplinary team-based learning. These innovations support a holistic, digitally integrated, learner-centered model, that prepares students to lead in a rapidly evolving global healthcare environment

During the Forum, TMU engaged with representatives from Tohoku University, Kyushu University, Chiba University, Institute of Science Tokyo, Okayama University, Kumamoto University, and other Japanese universities, strengthening ongoing collaborations in medical education, digital health, public health research, and initiatives for teacher and student mobility.

The Forum also marked the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between JACUIE and FICHET, symbolizing a sustained commitment to deepening bilateral educational cooperation. Taiwan’s Ministry of Education also noted that Japan remains among the top four source countries for international students in Taiwan, with over 8,700 Japanese students currently enrolled, including 3,200 in Mandarin programs—reflecting the strong foundation of exchange in the fields of humanities and education.

At a time when Taiwan–Kumamoto relations are expanding through joint efforts in the semiconductor industry, university partnerships are expected to play a pivotal role in building future-ready talent pipelines. TMU sees this Forum as a strategic opportunity to further advance digital medical education, but also to strengthen Taiwan–Japan academic engagement in alignment with regional innovation and economic transformation.

※Link：https://reurl.cc/gYYX9b