“Just imagine the possibilities for educational and scholarly innovation that will open up when all three of our universities come together in this new center for international collaboration,” said UIUC Chancellor Robert Jones.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with National Taiwan University (NTU) and Kyushu University establishing what all three institutions call a “Tri-Uni International Collaboration Center.”
UIUC Chancellor Robert Jones, NTU President Wen-Chang Chen, and Kyushu President Tatsuro Ishibashi signed the MOU on Feb. 19 just outside the doors of the new center, which is physically located at the NTU campus in Taipei, Taiwan.
“Individually each of our institutions has earned a global reputation for discovery and exploration,” Chancellor Jones said during the ceremony. “Just imagine the possibilities for educational and scholarly innovation that will open up when all three of our universities come together in this new center for international collaboration.”
The Tri-Uni International Collaboration Center was developed with a strong commitment from all three universities and will be supported by $160,000 from each institution every year for the term of the agreement.
This monetary support will be allocated to ensure the general operation of the center as well as support joint events and other collaborative projects and efforts.
The vision for the center is to connect all three universities through academic and research endeavors year-round, thus promising a future committed to providing successful joint initiatives that are expected to shape the ever-changing global landscape. It also secures a solid tri-lateral, symbiotic partnership between each university for years to come.
The center’s objectives include providing match-making activities for faculty and staff, whether online or via physical meetings; creating co-teaching courses, workshops, and symposiums; and fostering joint-research and publication opportunities to faculty and staff at all three institutions.
Ultimately, this form of collaboration is the first of its kind, making it a milestone not just for UIUC but for NTU and Kyushu University as well.
“At Illinois, we’re extremely proud of our many deep and broad international partnerships and relationships. Our connection with NTU is a partnership that is decades in the making…and my visit to Kyushu University this past fall was an exciting personal introduction for me to the incredible accomplishments of one of Japan’s most respected universities,” Chancellor Jones said during the ceremony. “Thank you all for making this possible and I know we are all excited about the new discoveries and new ideas that will grow out of the Tri-Uni International Collaboration Center.”
The Global Communication team at Illinois International can be reached at international@illinois.edu.
