APRU is delighted to report that our network of leading universities linking the Americas, Asia, and Australasia has recently grown to 61 members with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (Chinese Taipei), University of Alberta (Canada), and the University of Michigan (USA) joining the ranks. Each of the three universities will be bringing their own wide scope of collaboration in Asia.

“We are welcoming these exceptionally strong universities to the network with their active engagement, expertise, and long-standing investment in Asia to invigorate the collaborative work of APRU,” said Chief Executive, Professor Thomas Schneider.

Each university brings unique new perspectives to the APRU network and we look forward to expanding our impact and collaborating on current and new initiatives that benefit our community of university leaders, experts, and students.

As a university rooted in electronic and biomedical research, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University looks forward to bringing its expertise to cultivate internationalized public health professionals across the network. The global demand for advanced semiconductor technology underscores the need to train students in technical skills, innovation, and problem-solving. The International College of Semiconductor Technology provides comprehensive training, and hopes to cultivate professional talents to serve society and promote the development of semiconductor fields.

“NYCU was founded on the principle that a great university fosters collaboration across disciplines to solve real-world problems. Collaborating with the APRU academic alliance, we create opportunities to advance these interdisciplinary endeavors, particularly in fields such as engineering and digital medicine. Together with APRU, we are committed to cultivating  a versatile and innovative generation.” Said Dr. Chi-Hung Lin, President, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.

The University of Alberta for example, has comprehensive and long-standing collaborations with APRU’s member universities, including 27 formal partnerships and over 16,200 historical joint research publications that have been cited over half a million times. U of A is home to The China Institute—Canada’s only established, multi-disciplinary think tank and research centre focusing solely on China studies; the Prince Takamado Japan Centre for Teaching and Research, which is supported by the Imperial Family, elite members of Japanese society and business, and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and a dynamic Korean Language Program that boasts the largest enrolment among those of its kind in Canada.

“Our vision is to inspire the human spirit through outstanding achievements in learning, discovery and citizenship in a creative community, building one of the world’s great universities for the public good. Our commitment to excellence in research, education, and engagement on a global scale aligns well with the strategic priorities identified by APRU.” said Professor Bill Flanagan, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Alberta.

Since 2006 the University of Michigan has worked in partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University to host the UM-SJTU Joint Institute. The joint institute is the result of a strategic partnership between two top universities in the U.S. and China and aims to build a world-class institute in China for nurturing future leaders with a global vision. For over 15 years, the Joint Institute has built a strong foundation of excellence in global education. Through the constant quest for internationalization, interdisciplinary, innovative education, research, and our commitment to quality, the Joint Institute has won many awards for higher education, including the Model of International Education in Shanghai, the Model of China’s Higher Education, and the prestigious Andrew Heiskell Award.

With long-standing and new collaborations in the Asia Pacific, the University of Michigan is optimistic about being inducted into the APRU network. “We are profoundly honored to join the APRU, given our proud tradition and identity as an international university,” said Santa Ono, President of the University of Michigan, “But even more, we’re truly excited about the opportunities to deepen our relationships and strengthen our connections with leading universities across the Americas, Asia and Australasia, together finding innovative solutions for the greatest challenges facing our society.”

Please find more information below about the new members of APRU. 

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
President, Dr. Chi-Hung Lin
Senior International Leader: Dr. Wen-Syang Hsu, Dean of International Affairs

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University was created in 2021 through the merger of two universities: National Yang-Ming University and National Chiao Tung University. Yang Ming, which focused on biomedical research, and Chiao Tung, which focused on electronic communication research, were both top-tier universities in Taiwan.

NYCU was founded on the idea that, in a great university, people work across disciplines to solve real-world problems. At NYCU, putting this idea into practice requires contributing to fields located at the intersection of different research areas, for example, digital medicine and bioinformatics.

NYCU has 19 colleges and 74 university/college-level research centers, encompassing a collective of 1,100 teachers and 20,000 students collaborating to create the next generation that will develop and further Taiwan’s emerging smart industry. Faculties include biological science and technology, computer science, dentistry, humanity and social science, medicine, management and beyond. To supplement medical studies, there’s also a university hospital based in Yilan, offering practical teaching experience within various departments outside the classroom.  

University of Alberta
President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bill Flanagan
Senior International Leader: Dr. Cen Huang, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (International)

Founded in 1908, the University of Alberta is a Top 4 Canadian university and one of the Top 100 in the world, with a reputation of global excellence in energy & environment, artificial intelligence, and health & well-being. The U of A ranks seventh in the world and second in Canada for its ongoing efforts to tackle the critical sustainability challenges facing civilization today, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2023.

Located on five campuses in and around Alberta’s capital city, Edmonton, the U of A is both in the heart of the largest northernmost metropolis in North America and in the rural prairie communities that surround it. Its 17 faculties, delivering 200+ undergraduate programs and 500+ graduate programs, welcome over 44,000 students from 156 countries and attract more than CAD 620 million in annual research funding.

The U of A has extensive partnerships across Asia Pacific, including 21,800+ joint publications with over 2,100 organizations, particularly in China, Australia, Japan, India and South Korea.

University of Michigan
President, Santa J. Ono
Senior International Leader: Professor Valeria Maria Bertacco, Vice Provost for Engaged Learning

The University of Michigan is a proudly public university, founded in 1817 to serve the public good; committed to excellence in research and scholarship; and dedicated to the development of students and leaders who will make an impact on our world and address the great challenges of our time. 

U-M has three campuses – Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint, and its total enrolment in Ann Arbor includes more than 52,000 students, including almost 34,000 undergraduates and more than 18,000 graduate and professional students. 

U-M’s achievements and capabilities span nearly every field of science, engineering, medicine, social sciences and the arts and humanities. Its nearly US$2.0 billion in research volume is leading to critical advances in areas ranging from microelectronics to global infectious diseases to artificial intelligence. 

With 19 nationally recognized schools and colleges, and 14 undergraduate schools and colleges with more than 280 degree options, U-M is consistently ranked as one of the world’s great universities. Its interdisciplinary strengths range from its Center for Global Health Equity to its Life Sciences Institute to its Institute for Social Research, with U-M aspiring to become even more interconnected and interdisciplinary.

U-M is also a proudly international university. This past academic year, it was joined by nearly than 9,000 international students, along with 3,000 staff and faculty, representing 124 countries.

The U-M has a Center for Japanese Studies: founded in 1947, CJS is the oldest interdisciplinary center in the United States devoted exclusively to Japanese Studies.