From Collaboration to Practice: CSHCR Deepens Partnerships with Academic Institutions in Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands

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  To further strengthen international academic connections and expand cross-border research collaboration, Professor Pao-Lien Chen, Co-Director of the Center for Strategy and Human Capital Research (CSHCR) and Professor at the Institute of Human Resource Management, National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), traveled to Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands from June 13 to 29, 2026. During the visit, Professor Chen participated in AACSB international engagement activities and the Taiwan Research Hub Joint Conference 2026, and visited academic institutions including the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and Leiden University in the Netherlands. Through international conferences, research exchanges, and academic visits, the trip further expanded NSYSU’s international research network.

  This visit built upon the Center’s ongoing efforts to promote international academic exchange. In 2025, the Center’s team traveled to the United Kingdom for a benchmarking visit and met with Professor Chun-Yi Lee, Director of the Taiwan Research Hub at the University of Nottingham, to discuss plans for the Taiwan Research Hub Conference 2026. This year, the Center took the next step by participating in the international conference, turning the exchanges and collaborative ideas developed during the previous visit into concrete outcomes of international academic collaboration.

Participating in AACSB International Engagement Activities to Gain Insights into Global Trends in Business Education

  The visit began in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where Professor Chen participated in AACSB international engagement activities and exchanged views with business school leaders, faculty members, and administrators from different countries on management education, internationalization in higher education, quality assurance, and AACSB accreditation. Through discussions with representatives from business schools around the world, Professor Chen gained further insight into recent developments in international business education, particularly in curriculum development, teaching innovation, international collaboration, and quality assurance. The exchanges also established connections with international business schools, laying the groundwork for future faculty exchanges, student exchanges, and other forms of international collaboration.

  The experience further highlighted the importance of how higher education institutions continuously adapt their teaching and research strategies in response to rapidly evolving developments in digital technology, artificial intelligence, and sustainability—issues that will continue to shape the future of international business education.

Taiwan Research Hub Conference 2026: From Initial Planning to Concrete Collaboration

  Following the Thailand visit, Professor Chen traveled to the United Kingdom and participated in the Taiwan Research Hub Joint Conference 2026 at the University of Nottingham. Under the theme “Navigating Technological Futures: Power, Resilience, and Strategy in a Multipolar World,” the conference brought together scholars from the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and other countries to explore issues including technological development, geopolitics, industrial transformation, and strategic management. The conference also represented an important continuation of the Center’s previous international collaboration. During the Center’s visit to the University of Nottingham in 2025, discussions had already begun regarding the planning and development of the 2026 Taiwan Research Hub Conference. This year, the Center took part in the conference in practice, with Professor Chen serving as a Session Chair, moderating paper presentations and academic discussions and facilitating exchanges among participating scholars.

  During the conference, Professor Chen also held research discussions with Professor Chun-Yi Lee of the University of Nottingham. The two sides exchanged views on the future development of the Taiwan Research Hub, recent research findings, and potential areas for future collaboration, as well as Taiwan-related research, models of cross-border research collaboration, and the development of international research networks. Through continued engagement and active participation, the collaboration was further strengthened, while new possibilities for joint research and international cooperation were explored, further developing the Taiwan Research Hub as a platform connecting Taiwan with the international academic community.

Expanding Research Networks in the Netherlands: Regional Innovation and International Talent Mobility

  Following the United Kingdom visit, Professor Chen traveled to Leiden University in the Netherlands to meet with Professor Robert Tijssen, Emeritus Professor at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS). The discussion focused on research topics including Regional Innovation Systems, Regional Innovation Indicators, and Human Mobility. During the exchange, Professor Tijssen shared his research perspectives on regional innovation systems and innovation indicators, highlighting that innovation activities do not occur solely at the national level but are often concentrated within specific regions. Therefore, measuring and comparing regional innovation capabilities is an important area of research.

Professor Chen, in turn, shared recent research on the international mobility of pioneers in Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and related industrial development, examining how cross-border talent mobility influences knowledge diffusion, technological accumulation, and industrial development. The two sides also discussed the role of human mobility in innovation research and explored possibilities for future joint research and international collaboration.

From One-Time Exchanges to Long-Term Collaboration: Strengthening International Connections

  Spanning Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, the visit encompassed AACSB international engagement activities, the Taiwan Research Hub Joint Conference 2026, and research exchanges with academic institutions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, demonstrating the Center’s continued efforts to advance international academic collaboration.

  Rather than being limited to one-time international exchanges, the visit highlighted the importance of “sustained engagement, strengthened mutual trust, and the development of collaboration.” From the Center’s benchmarking visit to the United Kingdom in 2025 and the establishment of collaborative initiatives with the University of Nottingham, to its participation in the Taiwan Research Hub Joint Conference 2026 and Professor Chen’s role as Session Chair, the partnership has progressively moved from initial exchange toward concrete implementation.

  Looking ahead, the Center for Strategy and Human Capital Research will continue to strengthen its partnerships with international academic institutions, including the University of Nottingham and Leiden University, through joint research, academic visits, international conferences, and talent development initiatives. The Center will also seek to integrate the outcomes of international engagement into research, teaching, and talent development, further expanding NSYSU’s international academic network and research capacity.