NFU held its 2026 Lunar New Year Celebration on January 14 (Wednesday). For the first time, the event was hosted at the High-Speed Rail Campus, providing a more spacious venue to welcome faculty, staff, and industry partners. The occasion also marked the public unveiling of Phase I development highlights of the High-Speed Rail Campus, including the “International Industry–Academia Collaboration Building” and the “International Aviation Training Center,” both scheduled for completion by the end of January. These milestones demonstrate NFU’s deepening industry linkages and its strategic advancement in aviation and high-level technical talent cultivation.
NFU noted that the High-Speed Rail Campus covers approximately 17.18 hectares. After many years of planning and land acquisition, construction and facility deployment have gradually progressed through the concerted efforts of the university team in recent years. Hosting this event at the High-Speed Rail Campus symbolizes the campus’s official activation and represents a significant milestone in the university’s history.
President Shinn-Liang Chang stated that the development of the High-Speed Rail Campus forms a critical foundation for NFU’s next phase of growth. In particular, the completion of the International Industry–Academia Collaboration Building and the International Aviation Training Center will significantly enhance the university’s capabilities in industrial R&D, technology incubation, hands-on aviation training, and international exchange. He emphasized that NFU will continue to integrate government initiatives and industry resources to build a competitive, end-to-end ecosystem for technical and vocational education.
Chang further noted that the university’s long-term efforts in cultivating drone and aviation engineering talent have already yielded tangible results. With comprehensive aviation teaching facilities in place, NFU will accelerate the establishment and recruitment of its College of Aviation, nurturing professionals who meet industry needs in aircraft maintenance, aviation materials management, aviation logistics, and flight technologies. This collaborative approach with industry will help address the nation’s structural workforce demands in aviation and airspace development.
Former President Jenn-Der Lin also returned to campus to join the celebration. He reflected on the challenging process of acquiring the campus land and expressed gratitude to local residents, the Ministry of Education, and various supporters. He also affirmed NFU’s steady progress in recent institutional evaluations and policy-driven projects. According to him, the activation of the High-Speed Rail Campus marks a pivotal phase in the university’s expanded development, and he expressed strong optimism for its future growth.
According to university planning, the International Industry–Academia Collaboration Building comprises three above-ground floors with a total floor area of 6,133 square meters. It will integrate industry–academia collaboration, R&D administration, and innovation incubation functions, promoting interdisciplinary talent cultivation, joint enterprise research, and international linkages. The building is set to become a new collaborative platform within the industrial networks of central Taiwan and the Yunlin–Chiayi–Tainan region.
The International Aviation Training Center, completed concurrently, consists of two above-ground floors with a total floor area of 4,832 square meters. Its core facilities include aircraft maintenance training hangars. The center will serve as a base for aviation professional training and practical coursework, support the establishment of the College of Aviation, and help cultivate internationally qualified civil aviation and maintenance professionals.
NFU plans to complete the full development of the College of Aviation at the High-Speed Rail Campus within the next ten years. The plan includes a seven-story comprehensive teaching building and specialized experimental facilities, forming a major aviation hub in southern Taiwan that integrates teaching, research, innovation, and technical training.
On the day of the event, former Minister of Justice and current Chairman of the Chinese Society for Legal Risk Management, Mao-Lin Shih, was also in attendance. He donated 66 pine trees to the NFU High-Speed Rail Campus, symbolizing sustainable growth and best wishes for the university, while adding greenery to the campus landscape.
NFU stated that the High-Speed Rail Campus will form a dual-core layout together with the main campus. Through spatial expansion, deeper industry–academia collaboration, integration of the aviation industry chain, and strengthened international linkages, NFU aims to shape a new model for the development of technical universities in Taiwan and advance toward becoming an internationally oriented hub for aviation education and high-tech talent cultivation.
Manuscript provided by: Office of the Secretary
Photos provided by: Teaching Development Center, Construction and Maintenance Division, Office of the Secretary
