To meet the rapid development of AI and data science and to cultivate industry-ready talent with practical capabilities, Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) has demonstrated forward-looking vision by partnering with the Taiwan Data Science Association, National University of Kaohsiung, and Fu Jen Catholic University to jointly launch Taiwan’s first cross-university collaborative data science course initiative. This pioneering program features a joint Capstone Course designed by the three universities, integrating academic and industry resources to train AI-empowered data science professionals with real-world problem-solving skills.
The program is spearheaded by the Taiwan Data Science Association, which serves as the lead organization in coordinating both domestic and international industry partners and instructors, fostering deep collaboration between academia and industry. CYCU’s School of Intelligent Computing and Quantum Information plays a pivotal role in the initiative, signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Information Management at National University of Kaohsiung and the Department of Statistics and Information Science at Fu Jen Catholic University. Under this framework, the universities provide specialized faculty and course content, while the association facilitates industry case partnerships and invites internationally renowned speakers, jointly building a robust, hands-on learning platform.
This marks the first time in Taiwan that three universities have co-developed and co-taught a unified course, centered around the theme of AI Empowerment. The program emphasizes cross-university collaboration and hands-on, practice-oriented instructional design.
Under this framework, Chung Yuan Christian University has integrated the capstone project into the third-year course “Social Network Analysis” offered by its Bachelor’s Program in Intelligent Computing and Big Data. Together with the courses from the partner universities, this forms a comprehensive learning module.
Students participate in team-based projects, with each group consisting of 5 to 7 members. Based on students’ interests and expertise, faculty mentors are assigned to guide them through real-world industry problems, focusing on data exploration and model implementation.
According to Dr. Hsiao-Wei Hu, Associate Professor at the School of Intelligent Computing and Quantum Information and instructor of the “Social Network Analysis” course, four companies participated in this year’s program, offering students valuable opportunities to confront and solve real-world problems.
“We are transforming knowledge into capability through the process of problem-solving—this is how real practical skills are cultivated!” she enthusiastically remarked.
As one of the key partners in this innovative cross-university collaboration, Chung Yuan Christian University has demonstrated its strong academic foundation and forward-looking vision in the fields of intelligent computing and big data. Through active participation and promotion of this industry-driven, practice-based course, CYCU is fulfilling its mission to cultivate AI-empowered professionals with practical skills aligned with the needs of modern industries and national development goals.
