The National Applied Research Laboratories under the Ministry of Science and Technology signed an agreement Jan. 5 with National Cheng Kung University in southern Taiwan’s Tainan City to cooperate in the research and development of low-carbon and green energy technologies.
According to the pact, NARL and NCKU will collaborate in areas such as semiconductor applications and nanodevices, which will play a key role in the development of sustainable technologies.
Wang Yeong-her, president of NARL, said the organization intends to build a center for the study of nanodevices on the NCKU campus. Called the National Nano Device Laboratories—Southern Branch, the facility is slated for completion in 2019 and will function as a hub of innovation, Wang said, adding that NARL will contribute NT$100 million (US$3.13 million) every year toward the center.
Established in 1988 under NARL, the Hsinchu City-based National Nano Device Laboratories is dedicated to supporting the R&D of advanced semiconductor processing technologies and cultivating tech talents.
Wang said the agreement is in line with the government’s five-plus-two innovative industries initiative. He added that the collaborative effort will not only boost Taiwan’s international competitiveness but also contribute to a sustainable world.
The five-plus-two innovative industries initiative is a comprehensive program to promote economic restructuring and industrial upgrading. It targets the five emerging and high-growth sectors of biotech and pharmaceuticals, green energy, national defense, smart machinery and Internet of Things, as well as the promotion of two core concepts: the circular economy and a new paradigm for agricultural development. (KWS-E)
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