Taiwan’s national academy of science, Academia Sinica, welcomed its new President, epidemiologist and former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Thursday, June 18. His term will run until June 2031.

Chen said in his remarks that he will lead the institution in five key directions. First, he will continue to pursue academic excellence while ensuring research is not constrained by short-term performance metrics. Second, Chen hopes to establish Academia Sinica as a leading research institution in the Asia-Pacific region, making Taiwan into an advocate and pioneer within the global academic network. Third, the institution will address national and global challenges, including low birth rates, aging populations, climate change, and energy transition. Fourth, it will promote knowledge transfer and public communication. Fifth, Academia Sinica will establish a responsible framework for artificial intelligence and data governance, making Taiwan a model for AI research and governance.

Chen is taking over from chemical engineer James Liao (廖俊智), who led Academia Sinica for a decade. Also present at the handover ceremony were Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), and Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate and former Academia Sinica President Yuan Tseh Lee (李遠哲).