Five NCKU students, Prof. Cheng Chin, and Prof. Wei-Shiun Chang pose in front of the iconic Nuclear Energy sculpture at the University of Chicago.

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) launched a new collaboration with the University of Chicago in 2025 through the UChicago-Taiwan Student Exchange (UCTS) Fellowship. Each year, five students from each institution are selected to conduct research in partner laboratories during the summer. At NCKU, half of the tuition and housing costs are subsidized by the university, with the other half generously covered by the NCKU North America Alumni Foundation (NCKUNAAFI). This year, five NCKU students from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, and College of Medicine are undertaking research at the University of Chicago from mid-June through late August.

On July 4, NCKU’s Associate Vice President for International Affairs, Prof. Wei-Shiun Chang, together with Deputy Director of International Education, Betty Chang, visited the University of Chicago to meet with the participating students and learn about their living and research environments. They were warmly received by Prof. Cheng Chin, Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago and an Academician of Academia Sinica, who also serves as the program convener. Prof. Chin personally guided the students and NCKU representatives on a campus tour and introduced them to his ultracold atomic and molecular physics laboratory.

Prof. Cheng Chin introduces the research work to the group.

Local NCKU alumni in Chicago also hosted a luncheon for the delegation and students, offering career advice, encouragement, and staunch support for the exchange initiative. The gathering highlighted the alumni community’s commitment to giving back and fostering global opportunities for younger generations.
 

NCKU alumni host a luncheon for Prof. Cheng Chin (back row, right), NCKU Associate Vice President for International Affairs Prof. Wei-Shiun Chang (back row, left), and NCKU students in Chicago.

By deepening ties between NCKU and the University of Chicago, the UCTS program is helping students expand their international outlook while enhancing their academic and research skills.