On the 12th, ITRI held the "30th Anniversary Celebration and Technology Forum of ITRI European Office" in Berlin, Germany. (Provided by ITRI)
[Reporter Hong Youfang/Hsinchu Report] With the support of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, ITRI held the "30th Anniversary Celebration of ITRI European Office and Science and Technology Forum" in Berlin, Germany on the 12th. In addition to Bettina Stark-Watzinger, the former German Federal Minister of Education and Research, who came to congratulate in person, including the German Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Foundation), Europe's largest applied research institution Fraunhofer, Europe's largest research and development organization Association (EARTO), and representatives from important scientific research institutions such as TU Braunschweig in Germany attended the meeting. More than 120 people attended the event.
In response to Taiwan's industrial innovation and upgrading needs, ITRI established a European office in Germany in 1996 as an important window linking the European innovation ecosystem. With long-term policy support and R&D funding investment from the Department of Industrial Technology of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, ITRI has connected innovation networks in Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, and Northern Europe through multilateral cooperation mechanisms such as Horizon Europe and Eureka GlobalStars. In the past 30 years, ITRI has assisted Taiwan's industry, academia, and research institutes in participating in more than 20 EU R&D programs. It has signed cooperation agreements with 14 European countries, facilitated nearly 100 Taiwan-European science and technology cooperation cases, and promoted cooperation from forward-looking technology exploration to joint research and development, field verification, and industrial implementation.
In addition, ITRI is a founding member of EARTO and serves as the current chairman of its RTOs International Network (RIN). It continues to cooperate with the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ scientific research cooperation strategy and assist Taiwan in establishing a more resilient and forward-looking transnational R&D cooperation system.
Wu Zhengzhong, chairman of ITRI, said that the 30th anniversary of the establishment of ITRI’s European office not only witnessed the deepening of scientific and technological cooperation between Taiwan and Europe, but also reflected ITRI’s transformation from a technology observer to a co-innovator. He emphasized that the key to scientific and technological cooperation lies not only in technology, but also in long-term mutual trust. ITRI and Fraunhofer have cooperated since 1992. This five-year cooperation memorandum will be renewed. Based on the existing cooperation in medical care, information communications and green energy, they will further expand into emerging fields such as AI and robotics, and jointly create opportunities for innovative cooperation in the next stage.
Kuo Zhaozhong, Director of the Industrial Technology Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, congratulated across the sea. Since its establishment 30 years ago, the ITRI European Office has served as an important frontline for technical cooperation between Taiwan and Europe, helping Taiwan's innovation momentum to link European scientific research energy. Through the "Ministry of Economic Affairs' A+ International Innovation R&D Cooperation Program", Taiwan has established deep technological links with 14 European countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, and has supported more than 94 cooperation projects in total, promoting Taiwanese companies to further integrate "Made in Taiwan" into the "European supply chain." In the future, we will continue to assist in deepening innovation cooperation between Taiwan and Europe and jointly enhance industrial resilience and global competitiveness.
Johann Feckl, Director of Fraunhofer's International Affairs Office, pointed out in his keynote speech that the long-term cooperation between Fraunhofer and ITRI is based on trust and shared vision, and is an example of international scientific and technological cooperation creating long-term influence. He stressed that applied research must grasp technological trends early through international links and accelerate the implementation of innovative technologies, especially in key areas such as semiconductors, AI artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
In the overall layout of European technology and industrial cooperation, ITRI also held ITRI UK Tech Day simultaneously on the first anniversary of the establishment of the UK office, and further established a comprehensive institutional-to-institution cooperative relationship with the British National Physical Laboratory (NPL). The cooperation between the two parties covers semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence and other related R&D and industrialization collaboration structures, strengthening bilateral innovation links and technology implementation, and deepening the co-creation and development of Taiwan and Britain in forward-looking technology and industrial applications.
As the EU's new round of innovation and competitiveness policies focus on key areas such as net-zero, medical biotechnology, digital technology and space, ITRI will continue to deepen the technological links between Taiwan and Europe through its dual-site European office and UK office. Looking forward to the future, the European office will serve as a key hub connecting the innovation ecosystem, further expanding scientific research cooperation with France, the Netherlands, Central and Eastern Europe and other regions, and focusing on forward-looking technological fields such as drones. By connecting industry, government, academia, research and innovation ecosystems, we actively promote technological exchanges, policy dialogue and cross-domain innovation, assist Taiwan's industrial transformation and upgrading, turn geopolitical challenges into cooperation opportunities, and make Taiwan an important force driving the world's industrial transformation.
Grasp the economic pulse with one hand. Click here to subscribe to Free Finance Youtube channel
