NEWS
International Affairs
- Publish Date：2025-06-19
Uniting Southern Asia Through Nursing Innovation: NYCU Hosts Forum to Shape the Future of Regional Healthcare
The Southern Asian Nursing Research Forum, held on June 16 at NYCU, gathered experts from across Asia to share insights and advance regional nursing and healthcare..
Edited by Chance Lai
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As global health challenges become increasingly complex, the role of cross-border collaboration has never been more vital. In alignment with Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy and its people-centered vision, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University's (NYCU) College of Nursing took the lead in fostering academic dialogue by hosting the Southern Asian Nursing Research Forum on June 16, 2025.
With the theme “Enhancing Regional Collaboration in Nursing Research,” the forum brought together thought leaders, scholars, and healthcare professionals from Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and beyond to share groundbreaking research, innovative practices, and regional strategies for strengthening nursing science and healthcare delivery.
This milestone event not only showcased NYCU’s leadership in nursing education—ranked Top 101–150 globally in the QS World University Rankings—but also embodied Taiwan’s deep commitment to building equitable, people-first healthcare partnerships across South and Southeast Asia.
A Hub for Regional Dialogue and Innovation
NYCU’s College of Nursing, under the leadership of Dean Prof. Li-Yin Chien, opened the forum by highlighting the university’s academic evolution and its internationalization efforts. The forum’s vibrant agenda featured a range of multidisciplinary topics, from smart care technology and AI-driven nursing processes to nutritional epidemiology and digital health literacy.
Before the forum, Dean Li-Yin Chien (center) of the College of Nursing introduced the college’s development and its global vision of “reaching out to the world and building meaningful connections.”
“Our goal is to create a sustainable platform where culturally diverse healthcare systems can learn from one another,” said Dean Chien. “This forum is about more than research—it’s about mutual empowerment.”
Highlights from the Forum
▶ Taiwan | Tech-Driven Nursing Innovation
With the theme “Enhancing Regional Collaboration in Nursing Research,” the forum brought together thought leaders, scholars, and healthcare professionals from Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and beyond to share groundbreaking research, innovative practices, and regional strategies for strengthening nursing science and healthcare delivery.
This milestone event not only showcased NYCU’s leadership in nursing education—ranked Top 101–150 globally in the QS World University Rankings—but also embodied Taiwan’s deep commitment to building equitable, people-first healthcare partnerships across South and Southeast Asia.
A Hub for Regional Dialogue and Innovation
NYCU’s College of Nursing, under the leadership of Dean Prof. Li-Yin Chien, opened the forum by highlighting the university’s academic evolution and its internationalization efforts. The forum’s vibrant agenda featured a range of multidisciplinary topics, from smart care technology and AI-driven nursing processes to nutritional epidemiology and digital health literacy.
Before the forum, Dean Li-Yin Chien (center) of the College of Nursing introduced the college’s development and its global vision of “reaching out to the world and building meaningful connections.”
“Our goal is to create a sustainable platform where culturally diverse healthcare systems can learn from one another,” said Dean Chien. “This forum is about more than research—it’s about mutual empowerment.”
Highlights from the Forum
▶ Taiwan | Tech-Driven Nursing Innovation
- Prof. Heng-Hsin Tung of NYCU presented on AI and immersive technology in nursing education, including the development of VR-based learning manuals and AI-powered virtual nurse assistants that significantly reduce patient onboarding time in ICUs and improve pressure injury prevention in ORs.
- Assoc. Prof. I-Ching Hou shared insights from the NYCU Center for Smart Healthcare, where innovations like AI-based pressure ulcer detection and self-care mobile apps for breast cancer patients are transforming care delivery.
▶ Thailand | Addressing the Double Burden of Malnutrition
- Dr. Seo-Ah Hong from Mahidol University explored rising childhood obesity and malnutrition in Thailand, emphasizing the urgent need for early-life interventions and public health education in both urban and rural settings.
▶ Thailand | Big Data for Big Impact
- Dr. Thitipong Tankumpuan highlighted how big data analytics is revolutionizing predictive healthcare. He stressed the need for equitable research partnerships and the importance of balancing data utility with privacy ethics in health informatics.
▶ Indonesia | Digital Literacy as a Foundation for Better Nursing
- Dr. Rr. Tutik Sri Hariyati from Universitas Indonesia underscored the critical role of digital competence among nurses. She proposed professional development frameworks to close digital skill gaps, especially among senior staff.
▶ Malaysia | Breaking Silos and Building Bridges
- Dr. Lee Wan Ling from the University of Malaya challenged researchers to break out of traditional silos, advocating for transdisciplinary collaboration that places human-centered care at the forefront.
- Dr. Tang Li Yoong, also from the University of Malaya, emphasized nursing leadership as a driver of research excellence, citing Malaysia’s policies, AI integration in nursing education, and collaborative regional networks as models of progress.
Beyond the Lectern: Forging Genuine Connections
Between keynote sessions, coffee breaks, and lunch conversations became fertile grounds for academic matchmaking. Researchers exchanged ideas, identified shared challenges, and explored future collaborations, laying the groundwork for long-term multinational projects and joint publications.
Looking ahead, the Southern Asian Nursing Research Forum marked more than a moment of scholarly exchange—it was a catalyst for regional transformation. By strengthening ties among nursing communities across Asia, NYCU reaffirms its commitment to advancing global health equity, one partnership at a time.
As the forum concluded, a collective sense of purpose emerged: to co-create healthcare systems that are smarter, fairer, and truly patient-centered.
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