Forwarded from Youth Daily News, Reporter Lin Ruei-Yi / Comprehensive Report
To actively respond to national policies, accelerate the establishment of Taiwan’s unmanned vehicle management framework, promote industrial development, and lay the foundation for forward-looking defense technology, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) today (25th) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with four prestigious academic institutions — National Sun Yat-sen University, Republic of China Naval Academy, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology. The partnership, formalized at Sun Yat-sen University’s administrative building, establishes the Strategic Alliance for Underwater Unmanned Technology, aiming to integrate NCSIST’s existing core technologies with the academic and research strengths of the four universities to advance and solidify Taiwan’s underwater technology capabilities, ultimately enhancing the nation’s overall research and development capacity.
The signing ceremony was attended by NCSIST Deputy Director General Lin Kao-Chou, National Sun Yat-sen University President Lee Chih-Peng, Naval Academy Superintendent Major General Liu, Pingtung University of Science and Technology President Chang Chin-Long, and National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology Vice President Wu Chung-Hsin. The MOU was signed under the witness of key representatives and officials from each institution, officially launching this industry-academia-research collaboration — marking a major milestone in the development of underwater technology in Taiwan.
According to NCSIST, this agreement with the four universities aims to promote underwater unmanned systems through academic and industrial cooperation. The alliance will focus on key technological innovation areas such as autonomous navigation of underwater unmanned vehicles, underwater communication, and detection and positioning. It will also enhance the modular development of underwater vehicles, incorporating NCSIST’s sensor and payload integration capabilities to support cutting-edge R&D and commercialization within the domestic underwater technology sector. The partnership also aims to build future R&D hubs and supply chains, creating diversified and mutually beneficial value.
Moreover, strengthening dual-use military and civilian technologies is one of NCSIST’s key missions. In addition to exploring future technology trends, NCSIST is actively collaborating with major academic institutions to meet Taiwan’s strategic needs for underwater vehicles. Through these joint research projects, the institute hopes to accelerate innovation across various types of underwater vehicles for different applications. This effort is expected to achieve the goal of aligning education with industry needs, fostering talent, meeting market demands, and promoting regional economic growth — while also laying a solid and sustainable foundation for Taiwan’s defense technology and industry.