NCCU ICI’s Prof. Han-Hsi “Indy” Liu Moderates “AI for UHC” Forum on the Sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva

Dr. Han-Hsi “Indy” Liu (right) moderates the “AI for UHC” forum on the sidelines of WHA79, in dialogue with five international panelists. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu)
Dr. Han-Hsi “Indy” Liu (right) moderates the “AI for UHC” forum on the sidelines of WHA79, in dialogue with five international panelists. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu)
President Lai Ching-te delivers a video address at the forum’s opening, affirming Taiwan’s willingness to share its health-care experience. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu)
President Lai Ching-te delivers a video address at the forum’s opening, affirming Taiwan’s willingness to share its health-care experience. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu)
Prof. Liu (left) with his doctoral advisor, Prof. Lawrence Gostin (right) of Georgetown University, in Geneva; he was also interviewed by TaiwanPlus during the assembly. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu)
Prof. Liu (left) with his doctoral advisor, Prof. Lawrence Gostin (right) of Georgetown University, in Geneva; he was also interviewed by TaiwanPlus during the assembly. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu)
The “Broken Chair” landmark by the Palais des Nations, Geneva — venue of the 79th World Health Assembly. (Source: photo by Prof. Liu)
The “Broken Chair” landmark by the Palais des Nations, Geneva — venue of the 79th World Health Assembly. (Source: photo by Prof. Liu)
Pre-departure press conference at the Legislative Yuan, where Prof. Liu (second from left) was invited to speak. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu )
Pre-departure press conference at the Legislative Yuan, where Prof. Liu (second from left) was invited to speak. (Source: provided by Prof. Liu )
Date : 2026-06-16 Department : International College of Innovation

【Article by International College of Innovation】

Dr. Han-Hsi “Indy” Liu, Adjunct Assistant Professor at National Chengchi University’s International College of Innovation (ICI) and instructor of the College’s “Global Health Governance” course, took part in side events of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva from 14 to 23 May 2026. At the invitation of the STUF United Fund — a New York–based NGO in special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — he moderated the opening session, “AI for UHC: Medical Informatics and Systems,” of the forum “Strengthening UHC in a Transforming World.” The forum was covered by media including the Central News Agency (CNA) and the Commercial Times, and President Lai Ching-te delivered a video address affirming Taiwan’s willingness to share its health-care experience and to deepen international health cooperation.

The session brought together four speakers — Professor Christian Lovis (University of Geneva), Professor Yu-Chuan “Jack” Li (former president of the International Medical Informatics Association, IMIA), Dr. Peter Preziosi (CEO, TruMerit), and Professor Alex Lin (University of Cincinnati) — to ask how artificial intelligence (AI) can genuinely serve universal health coverage (UHC). Moderating, Professor Liu summed up the discussion: “AI for UHC is not a debate about algorithms but an institutional question — can data become clinical meaning, can prediction become prevention, can technology support rather than replace the workforce?” In short, he argued, “AI must not only make medicine smarter; it must make medicine fairer.”

During the assembly, Professor Liu was also interviewed by the English-language outlet TaiwanPlus (“Zoom In Zoom Out”) alongside his doctoral advisor, Professor Lawrence Gostin of Georgetown University, Director of the WHO Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. In the interview, Professor Liu observed that two issues dominated this year’s WHA: the funding and financial fallout from the United States’ withdrawal from the WHO the previous year, and how AI and digital health are transforming governments, civil society and humankind while reshaping healthcare and global health. He stressed that “the rule of law is the foundation for public health” — without it, public-health measures such as quarantine, isolation and vaccination cannot be carried out — underscoring the indispensable role of law and governance in global health. (Interview video: https://youtu.be/76kBeZO7_qU) He also published a commentary in The Reporter (Twreporter) on his Geneva observations.

Before the trip, the STUF United Fund and the office of Legislator Wang Cheng-hsu held a pre-departure press conference at the Legislative Yuan on 12 May, where Professor Liu was invited to speak and legislators from across party lines lent their support. At the press conference, Professor Liu said that Taiwan’s experience in global health and technology governance is distinctive, and well worth bringing to Geneva to exchange and share with other countries.

ICI noted that “Global Health Governance” is one of the College’s flagship courses, combining international law, public health, and diplomacy to cultivate globally minded talent. Through this engagement with international experts and civil-society organizations in Geneva, NCCU faculty and students stand to gain broader international perspectives, and the College hopes to keep bringing Taiwan and NCCU into the conversation on global health governance through professional networks.