On Tuesday, November 25, 2025, the SCRC convened its second annual research conference in 2025, this time at National Chengchi University’s College of Social Sciences in Taipei. The event brought together scholars and experts from Taiwan and the Czech Republic to present new findings and exchange insights on the evolving global semiconductor landscape.
The conference opened with remarks from distinguished guests, such as, Dr. Chih-Chung Wu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; David Steinke, Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei; Prof. Shu-Heng Chen, Vice President of NCCU; Prof. Eva Voldřichová Beránková, Vice-Rector of Charles University; Prof. Wan-Ying Yang of NCCU’s SCRC; and Dr. David Emler, director of SCRC at Charles University. Their statements underscored both the strategic importance of cross-border academic collaboration and the central role of semiconductors in today’s political and economic environment. The panels were divided based on the topics of the four research work-packages.
The day’s first panel, Geopolitics & Sustainability, examined the external pressures and shifting alliances shaping semiconductor supply chains. Presentations explored emerging challenges in Czech–Taiwanese cooperation, strategic implications of TSMC’s expansion into Japan, the impact of U.S.–EU trade negotiations on Central Europe, Poland’s semiconductor geoeconomic strategy, and the environmental governance tools relevant to chip-industry development.
The afternoon continued with the Education panel, which highlighted how talent development and legal literacy shape national semiconductor strategies. Speakers discussed local-level “chip diplomacy” in Hsinchu as part of broader Czech–Taiwan cultural relations, Taiwan’s expanding semiconductor workforce pipeline, and the relevance of EU legal principles for policymaking in semiconductor-related fields.
The session!s final panel was on Resilience, that addressed the structural capabilities and vulnerabilities of semiconductor ecosystems in both Taiwan and Central Europe. Presentations included a strategic assessment of the Czech semiconductor industry, new research on knowledge dynamics within the sector, and an analysis of VAT and tax barriers affecting EU–Taiwan semiconductor trade.
The program concluded with a final discussion led by Prof. Hsien-Ming Lien and Dr. David Emler, reflecting on the day’s key takeaways and emerging avenues for continuing bilateral cooperation.
As semiconductors continue to underpin technological innovation, economic security, and geopolitical competition, the 2025 SCRC Research Conference in Taipei offered a timely platform for advancing research-based dialogue between Taiwan and the Czech Republic. SCRC remains committed to connecting academic expertise with strategic decision-making in the areas of supply chain resilience, talent development, and international partnership.
All photos are courtesy of Jack Huang from the National Chengchi University.
