The inauguration ceremony for Academia Sinica’s Southern Campus was held on the 15th, with President Lai Ching-te in attendance, along with former Vice President Chen Chien-Jen, Tainan Mayor Weiche Huang, and other dignitaries. James Liao, President of Academia Sinica, stated that Academia Sinica decided in 2012 to establish the Southern Campus in Tainan's Shalun area, and in 2017, the Executive Yuan approved the development plan. The aim is to create a campus with a new concept, focusing on key issues, vertically integrating basic research with practical applications, and connecting resources with local academic and research communities to launch world-class forward-looking research.
Liao emphasized that the Southern Campus operates differently from the Northern Campus. While the Northern Campus organizes its research units by academic disciplines, the Southern Campus emphasizes the integration of research resources and spaces, encouraging collaboration across different fields. Research topics are driven by issue-oriented approaches to promote interdisciplinary fusion. Currently, the Southern Campus is working on critical areas such as net-zero, quantum technologies, sustainable agriculture, and a human and social science initiative for Southern Taiwan. It has also recruited external experts to lead these action plans, aiming to establish a new scientific hub with long-term developmental prospects for Southern Taiwan.
In his speech, President Lai Ching-te highlighted that during his tenure as Tainan mayor, he actively promoted the establishment of the Southern Campus. Later, as Premier and Vice President, he witnessed Academia Sinica’s efforts in cutting-edge technological research and development. President Lai expressed his hope that the Southern Campus will evolve into a world-class research hub, attracting domestic and international research talent to Southern Taiwan, balancing the development between the north and the south, and contributing to enhancing Taiwan’s overall research and development capabilities.
Academia Sinica established the "Center for Research on Key Issues" in January this year, with its main facilities housed in the Southern Campus. The Center recruits experts and scholars from both Taiwan and abroad through joint appointments, conducting vertically integrated, mission-driven team research. Currently, quantum technology and net-zero technology have been selected as key research areas.
In quantum technology, the "Quantum Computing Center" and the "Quantum Optoelectronics Research Project" have been established. These initiatives include a cleanroom and testing laboratory for quantum chip processing. The Quantum Computing Center is working on developing a prototype for a universal quantum computer and assisting in the development of related technologies such as Cryo-CMOS chips. The Quantum Optoelectronics Research Project focuses on developing high-brightness single-photon emitters in the communication band and highly sensitive, fast-response superconducting single-photon detectors.
In net-zero technology, the "Ocean Energy Center" and the "Next-Generation Solar Cell Research Project" have already been established. The Ocean Energy Center focuses on projects like power generation from the Kuroshio Current and marine carbon sinks, and has built a 100 kW current generator, which will undergo testing in cooperation with the Taiwan International Shipbuilding Corporation. The Next-Generation Solar Cell Research Project is developing large-scale, high-efficiency, low-cost perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, with a goal of achieving nearly 30% photoelectric conversion efficiency. They are also investing in the development of automated production processes and establishing a pilot production line suitable for local manufacturers. Most of these research facilities will be open for use by national academic and industrial communities. In the future, Academia Sinica will continue to initiate research projects on key issues across different fields that have significant impacts on academia and society.
One of the key missions of the Southern Campus is the development of humanities and social science research. The "Humanities and Social Science Research Base" was officially established this year, and teams have been working on-site since April. Their research focuses on the social transformation of Southern Taiwan and the trade networks of Taiwanese businesspeople. The presence of these teams will strengthen collaboration with local academic communities and cultural historians, promoting research on topics with significant historical and social relevance, and fostering a vibrant humanities research environment in Southern Taiwan.
The Humanities and Social Science Base also houses a "Digital Archive Library," which shares Academia Sinica’s rich digital archival resources with the southern academic community. The Southern Campus’s inaugural exhibition, "The South, the Islands, and the Humanities," is currently on display, presenting rare historical documents with a tropical flavor spanning over 400 years of history, including letters from traditional businesses, travel records from the Japanese colonial era, private manuscripts, photographs, old newspapers, and books, showcasing Taiwan's unique historical context.
The Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center (ABRC) at Academia Sinica has been establishing advanced facilities over the past three years at the Southern Campus, including a precision greenhouse and an automated plant phenotyping system. These facilities serve the local research community and provide vital support for academic research and technological innovation. The Center focuses on the physiological responses and disease defense capabilities of crops facing adverse conditions and has achieved significant results. Future efforts will focus on developing sustainable agriculture and translational agricultural biotechnology, with goals of carbon sequestration, reducing pesticide use, and increasing crop yields.
In addition to collaborating with National Cheng Kung University to promote a Ph.D. program in Translational Agricultural Science, Academia Sinica is actively expanding its internship programs for undergraduates to popularize and deepen science education. These efforts aim to cultivate more outstanding young scientists and enhance Taiwan's research and development capacity in global agricultural technology. Distinguished guests at the inauguration on the 15th included Minister of Digital Affairs Yen-Nun Huang, Deputy Chairperson of the Ocean Affairs Council Hsiang-Wen Huang, and legislators Wang Ting-Yu, Lin I-Chin, Lin Chun-Hsien, Kuo Kuo-Wen, Chen Ting-fei, and Lai Hui-Yuan.
Resource (mandarin): 中研院南部院區開幕 打造世界級研究重鎮
