TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Bridges Project, a new initiative to deepen academic exchange with the global research community, launched Monday with its first Nobel laureate lecture at National Taiwan University.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) presided over the event. The program aims to host 31 Nobel Prize winners in Taiwan within one year, per CNA.
Lai said the project will strengthen higher education and may help cultivate future Nobel laureates in Taiwan. He noted that the world faces mounting challenges — including geopolitical tensions, extreme weather, and supply chain restructuring — and said science, education, and diplomacy must work together to find solutions.
He added that the initiative is intended to build “bridges” between Taiwan and the international community and contribute to peace, prosperity, and sustainability.
The inaugural lecture featured Andre Geim, recipient of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics, best known for his co-discovery of graphene — a two-dimensional carbon material noted for exceptional strength and conductivity that has advanced research in electronics, energy, and medicine.
Academia Sinica President James C. Liao (廖俊智) said the program will foster meaningful exchanges between Taiwan and leading scholars worldwide. He said the prestige of the Nobel Prize inspires students to broaden their global outlook and promotes wider public appreciation for basic science.
Liao added that the initiative aims to create a research environment that is financially stable, free, and open, encouraging innovation and giving Taiwanese scholars firsthand exposure to the originality and persistence required in fundamental research.
NTU President Chen Wen-chang (陳文章) said the program is not only about scientific knowledge but also about connecting ideals and values. Direct dialogue with Nobel laureates, he said, will help faculty and students absorb cutting-edge perspectives and elevate their research capacity.
Former Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) said science contributes not only to the discovery of truth but also to global understanding and peace. He said the Taiwan Bridges Project enables scientists to transcend cultural and geographic barriers to jointly consider humanity’s future, adding that science must remain rooted in care for society to achieve lasting impact.
