Ex-Vice President Chen Chien-jen takes helm of Academia Sinica

Taipei, June 18 (CNA) Former Vice President and internationally renowned epidemiologist Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) accepted the presidency of Academia Sinica at a handover ceremony Thursday, succeeding James C. Liao (廖俊智) as head of Taiwan's top research institution.

Chen will officially begin his five-year term on June 21.

In his inaugural remarks, Chen outlined five priorities for his tenure as Academia Sinica approaches its centennial in 2028.

He pledged to pursue academic excellence by supporting original, forward-looking research, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthening partnerships with universities and research institutes.

Chen also vowed to build Academia Sinica into a premier research institution in the Asia-Pacific by expanding cooperation with leading global institutions and positioning Taiwan as an advocate and leader in international academic networks, while improving support systems to attract top talent.

He said Academia Sinica would continue supporting evidence-based policymaking to help address long-term challenges such as declining birth rates, population aging, climate change, the energy transition and global health risks.

Chen also pledged to promote knowledge transfer by encouraging senior researchers to mentor younger scholars and expanding public engagement through lectures, digital platforms and social media.

On artificial intelligence, Chen said Academia Sinica would continue investing in cutting-edge research while establishing governance frameworks that safeguard ethics, privacy, human rights and public trust.

At Thursday's ceremony, Liao passed the official seal to Chen under the witness of Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴). Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and former Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) also attended.

Hsiao praised Liao's decade-long leadership, saying he had guided Academia Sinica to world-class achievements in fields such as net-zero sustainability, quantum technology and AI while deepening Taiwan's ties with the global academic community.

As Chen takes office as the research institute's 13th president, Hsiao said Taiwan and the world face challenges including climate change, geopolitical tensions, supply chain restructuring and rapid digital transformation.

She expressed confidence that his research expertise and international perspective would help Academia Sinica achieve further breakthroughs and cultivate world-class talent.

Liao said he hoped the reforms introduced during his 10-year tenure would enable Academia Sinica to remain at the forefront of scientific research in the AI era. After stepping down, he will remain at Academia Sinica as a distinguished research fellow at the Institute of Biochemistry.