Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR), Taiwan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 17 November 2022 to develop scientific and academic cooperation and scientific research on the basis of equality, mutual interest, and reciprocity and to promote relations and mutual understanding between NCDR and AIT.
Prof. Kazuo Yamamoto, AIT President, expressed confidence that the MoU will aid in developing scientific and academic cooperation and research of benefit to both institutions. He added, “In our disaster-prone part of the world, landslides are very evident, and I am confident that this cooperation will ultimately benefit people living in hazardous mountainous areas.”
Stating that AIT faculty and graduate students are excited to work with NCDR experts, Prof. Yamamoto thanked NCDR for the support on landslide-related technology for this research collaboration, especially for the intended landslide hazard monitoring program. He said, “AIT is looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership with NCDR.”
Highlighting that natural and manmade disasters can strike without warning despite various efforts, Dr. Tzong-Chyuan Chen, Vice Minister of NSTC and Chairperson of NCDR said, “This MOU will enable our experts to work together to promote disaster risk reduction and share new technologies in this domain. Both institutions can and will apply science and technology to assist our alliance in strengthening disaster resilience.”
Prof. Hongey Chen, Director of NCDR, shared, “Discussions were initiated between NCDR and AIT since 2020 on how to initiate bilateral cooperation in disaster risk management through technology, exchange, and experience sharing. This close interaction paved the way for this MoU, and I expect the institutions will soon start the exchange.” He also invited Prof. Yamamoto and AIT colleagues to visit NCDR.
The areas of cooperation of the MoU are:
1. Technology solution to hydro-meteorological and geological-related hazards, including landslide, floods, debris flow, and compound disasters;
2. Assessment of risk and vulnerability;
3. Mechanism of the practical implementation and applications for technology outcomes;
4. Development of adaptation strategies;
5. Public and private partnership for capacity building of disaster risk reduction;
6. Technology-based emergency operation focusing on hydro-meteorological and geological-related hazards.
Dr. Za-Chieh Moh, Non-Executive Chairman of Moh and Associates, Inc., and Vice Chairperson of the AIT Board of Trustees expressed delight to witness the partnership between two well-known academic and research organizations in Asia.
He added, “AIT has had a very close relationship with many government and education institutions in Taiwan in the past. There are over 1000 AIT graduates working in Taiwan; many of them are in important government positions. Although there was a pause due to various circumstances, with the signing of this MOU, I am confident that the relationship between AIT and Taiwan organizations will resume and expand. I wish this cooperation to be very successful and build the bridge of resuming close relations.”
Assoc. Prof. Geoff Chao, Program Chair, Geotechnical and Earth Resources Engineering Program, School of Engineering and Technology, expressed sincere appreciation to NCDR for support for different research activities. “We are fortunate to have this opportunity to work with NCDR in the landslide hazard monitoring program. Therefore, we look forward to this collaboration with NCDR.”
About NCDR
The National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) was transitioned from the Program Office of the National Science and Technology Program for Hazard Mitigation (NAPHM), Taiwan in 2013. It was officially established as a think-tank to the government by providing in-depth suggestions on disaster risk reduction. In 2014, following the restructured framework of the Executive Yuan, NCDR received a new identity, “administrative entity”, and is now operated under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology. NCDR builds up partnerships with domestic and international institutes to integrate interdisciplinary capacity, observe the dynamic evolutions of natural disasters and catch the global trend of disaster risk reduction.
