Leaders at UNMC and National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan signed a memorandum of understanding on June 16 at UNMC, as they committed to continued collaboration on research projects.
The agreement was signed by Jane Meza, PhD, UNMC’s interim vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Albert Yang, PhD, chairperson of the National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University School of Medicine.
Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, said he welcomes the partnership.
“Collaborations with an outstanding academic international institution such as the NYCU School of Medicine offer our faculty and learners new educational and research opportunities that will benefit their careers and potentially lead to new approaches to care for our patients,” Dr. Britigan said.
Dr. Yang said he learned about the UNMC Department of Psychiatry when Howard Liu, MD, chair of the department, Soonjo Hwang, MD, the department’s research director, and Joseph Siu, PhD, then-UNMC Faculty Senate president and professor of physical therapy, toured NYCU last December.
“We were interested in learning more about UNMC because we want to learn more about the technology used at UNMC to help our medical care,” Dr. Yang said. “In the future, we hope to work not just in psychiatry but in other forms of medicine. We see this as a key collaboration.”
The relationship between UNMC and NYCU began in 2022, when Dr. Siu visited Taiwan to initiate a dialogue with the physical therapy department. In spring 2024, the two universities signed their first agreement focused on collaboration in physical therapy, which laid the foundation for future interdisciplinary initiatives.
“That initial visit opened the door to what has become a growing and meaningful partnership,” Dr. Meza said.
Dr. Meza thanked Dr. Yang and the UNMC team for the vision that culminated in the latest memorandum of understanding.
“This is the type of partnership that we like to sign involving multiple colleges, several disciplines, and committed leaders from both institutions,” she said. “Our experience in global health shows us that the more connections we have, the better the collaboration.”
Dr. Siu and Ken Bayles, PhD, UNMC vice chancellor for research, also spoke at the signing ceremony.
Dr. Bayles said he’s excited for the two universities to work together on health sciences research, including infectious diseases and wearable devices, student and faculty exchange, and other academic partnerships.
“At UNMC, we have a history of working well with international partners to find innovative solutions,” Dr. Bayles said. “We’ve shown global institutions that you come to the Midwest to share ideas and get things done.”