【Article by EMI Resource Center】

On the afternoon of February 25, the EMI Resource Center at National Chengchi University (NCCU) hosted Professor Uta M. Feser, President of Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences (HNU), and Professor Klaus Lang, Managing Director of the Institute for Digital Transformation and Dean of Studies of the Department of Information Management at HNU. They were invited to give a lecture titled "Building Bridges: Successful Industry Collaborations and Joint Teaching Projects in Higher Education" where Professor Klaus Lang shared his experiences and insights on promoting university-industry collaboration and AI education transformation. The event was co-organized by the NCCU Office of International Cooperation and hosted by Professor Siaw-Fong Chung, Director of the EMI Resource Center. In the opening remarks, Professor Chung introduced the distinguished guests, highlighting Professor Klaus Lang’s extensive experience in AI applications and digital transformation. She also encouraged the audience to engage and interact actively with the speakers during the event.

The lecture began with Professor Klaus Lang asking the audience about their frequency of using the AI tool ChatGPT, which highlighted the growing importance of AI tools in daily life and academia. This question set the stage for the main topics of the lecture, which focused on HNU's practical experiences in university-industry collaboration and AI applications. Professor Lang first discussed the impact of AI on modern teaching methods, which emphasized its potential to improve traditional teaching models that are often overly complex. He explained that AI could tailor educational programs to individual student needs by identifying learning weaknesses, thereby avoiding the burden of excessive and complicated knowledge delivery.

Professor Lang then introduced various ongoing university-industry collaboration programs at HNU. The purpose of these programs are to provide students with practical learning opportunities in the industry, enhancing their employability while fulfilling the university's social responsibility. Through academic theories, HNU supports companies undergoing digital transformation by offering effective strategies and practical applications of AI technology. During these programs, students learn to address challenges faced by companies by developing “custom AI” models through prompting. Additionally, HNU encourages student entrepreneurship by providing spaces and facilities to help them develop their business ideas. The university also collaborates with other institutions to offer summer programs that include lectures and site visits, fostering direct dialogue and connections between students and companies. These interactions allow students to learn from successful businessmen and inspire them to pursue their own entrepreneurial ambitions.

During the Q&A session, Professor Lang explained that university-industry collaboration is based on mutual benefit, where universities and companies exchange knowledge and resources for mutual progress. Professor Uta M. Feser added that many small and medium-sized companies in Germany are still adapting to changes brought about by AI technologies, making them ideal partners for academic institutions.

Audience also shared how AI development has influenced their learning methods and asked Professor Lang about his views on adjusting teaching and learning models in response to the AI wave. He noted that AI is still facing limitations in accessing academic resources, therefore, traditional learning methods based on extensive literature review still hold value. However, educational institutions should not entirely forbid the use of AI, provided that its usage remains transparent and open. Professor Lang also mentioned how AI is likely to change future examination methods, shifting from traditional knowledge-based testing to evaluating students' abilities to solve problems through AI tools. Toward the end of the event, he addressed concerns about academic ethics related to AI, emphasizing the need for educational institutions to establish regulations to cope with the rapid and continuous development of AI.

This international exchange event provided NCCU with innovative perspectives on university-industry collaboration and AI applications, drawing from the extensive experience of Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences. Sincere thanks to Professor Uta M. Feser and Professor Klaus Lang for their visit and insightful sharing, which broadened our international outlook.

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