To further strengthen the solid international network and collaboration between Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), NSTC Minister Wu Cheng-Wen led a 30-member delegation to Berlin Germany to co-host the “NSTC-BMBF Joint Workshop on AI” with BMBF and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) from September 1 to 5, 2024.  The delegation consists of members from NSTC, the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs), the Science & Technology Policy Research and Information Center (STPI), and the Taiwan AI Center of Excellence (Taiwan AICoE).  The Convenor of Taiwan’s AI subject for the Delegation was Professor Hsu Yung-Jen (Jane), the Vice Chief Convenor of Taiwan AICoE Strategy Committee.  Representatives from universities include Professor Yang Ming-Der, the Dean of College of Engineering in National Chung-Hsing University, Professor Winston Hsu in National Taiwan University, and Professor Chen Tien-Fu in National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.  The Convenor of Germany’s AI subject was Professor Wolfgang Wahlster, the founding director and Chief Executive Advisor of DFKI.  The representatives from German side includes DFKI CEO Prof. Dr. Antonio Krüger, Professor Georg Rehm, and Professor Joachim Hertzberg.

(Above) A MOU was signed between Taiwan AICoE and DFKI, the leading research center for AI in Germany.

Taiwan leverages its strengths in chip and electronic systems industries to invest in core research of AI technology, as well as in the development of AI systems, tools, applications, and services.  By integrating cross-ministerial R&D resources, Taiwan continues to consolidate its role in the AI era as an “AI island”.  Germany, with its strong automotive, equipment, and IoT industries, along with its Industrial 4.0 expertise, top talents in communications, and leading research institutions such as DFKI, has established an excellent foundation for cooperation with Taiwan.  Both sides have reached a consensus to explore potential collaboration in the fields of generative AI and large language models, as well as AI edge computing.

NSTC Minister Wu Cheng-Wen stated, "Germany is one of Taiwan’s closest partners in scientific research cooperation in Europe.”  With joint efforts from both sides, he was pleased to witness the MOU signing between Taiwan AICoE and DFKI, the largest AI research center in Germany.  The partnership is expected to accelerate the integration of Taiwan-Germany AI innovation and research outcomes into the global value chain.  The representatives from BMBF also expressed gratitude for the NSTC delegation's visit and emphasized the desire to jointly build a Taiwan-Germany international AI research cooperation and exchange platform, fostering substantial collaboration between scholars and amplifying bilateral benefits.

(Above) Taiwan delegates visited BMBF.