UC Irvine Dean Visits Taipei University, Opening New Chapter in Academic Cooperation
On 19 December, Dr. Ian O. Williamson, Dean of the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, made his first official visit to National Taipei University, signaling a new phase in the partnership between the two institutions.
Dean Williamson was welcomed by President Daw‑Tung Lin, with arrangements coordinated by General Affairs Section Dean Chia-Hui Wang. He was accompanied by College of Business Dean Chi‑Jui Haung, AACSB and International Relations Director Chun‑Yu Lin, College of Public Affairs Dean Min‑Tsann Chen, and College of Social Sciences Dean Chao‑Yin Lin. Dean Williamson later moved to the College of Business, where Graduate Institute of Information Management Director Min‑Yuh Day and College Secretary Po‑Keng Cheng joined the discussions.
Since establishing a sister‑school relationship in 2019, Taipei University’s College of Business and UC Irvine have successfully launched a “Bachelor’s + Master’s Dual Degree Program,” with four students already participating. Building on this success, both sides are now actively exploring a new “1+1 Master’s Dual Degree Model” to broaden academic exchange and student opportunities.
The itinerary included a tour of the College of Business, a commemorative flag‑raising ceremony in the lobby, and a visit to the college’s history gallery. The two deans also exchanged views on attending the AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting (ICAM) together in April.
Williamson expressed admiration for Taipei University’s achievements in sustainability indices and praised its contributions to social impact. The visit, marked by symbolic gestures and substantive dialogue, has laid a firm foundation for deeper collaboration in the years ahead.
