-Kaohsiung Medical University-

To deepen substantive collaboration with leading academic and medical institutions in the United Kingdom, Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU), led by Chairman Eric K. Chen and President Ming-Lung Yu, headed a delegation of university and affiliated hospital representatives on a working visit to the University of Oxford. The visit focused on a broad range of areas, including medical education, clinical research, translational medicine, biomedical engineering, and AI-powered precision medicine. Beyond strengthening connections between KMU and Oxford in education, research, and healthcare, the delegation also exchanged views on potential collaborations in multi-center clinical validation, federated learning for AI models, student exchange agreements, and bilateral talent development, laying a more concrete foundation for future Taiwan–UK partnerships in medicine and biomedical sciences.

During the visit, the KMU delegation toured several colleges, research institutes, and teaching hospitals at the University of Oxford. Chairman Eric K. Chen and President Ming-Lung Yu met with The Rt Hon Lord Hague of Richmond, William Hague, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, to exchange views on higher education, medical research, and international collaboration, reflecting Oxford’s strong interest in strengthening future partnerships with KMU.

The delegation also held discussions with Oxford researchers on the application of artificial intelligence in enhancing diagnostic accuracy through conventional computed tomography (CT) and next-generation photon-counting CT imaging technologies. Additional topics included AI-assisted prediction of cardiovascular disease outcomes, cancer research, and the utilization of clinical data. Through international collaborative research models, the integration of AI into globally applicable clinical decision-making and disease diagnosis is emerging as a key trend in healthcare. This direction aligns closely with KMU’s institutional strategy of advancing medical artificial intelligence, precision health, and smart healthcare through integrated university-hospital collaboration.

During the visit, President Ming-Lung Yu was invited by St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, to deliver a keynote lecture entitled “Patient-oriented Translational Research: A Journey toward HCV Elimination.” He also engaged in in-depth discussions with Professor Heidi Johansen-Berg, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives at Oxford. President Yu shared KMU’s experience in integrating epidemiology, virology, clinical medicine, epigenomics, and metabolic research, beginning with community-based investigations in hepatitis C endemic regions of southern Taiwan and advancing toward treatment strategies, liver cancer risk assessment, metabolic disease research, and public health interventions. The presentation highlighted KMU’s strength in driving research innovation through clinical needs and translating discoveries into healthcare policy and practice.

The KMU delegation also met with Ambassador Jin-Shiang Yao of the Taipei Representative Office in the United Kingdom to share the outcomes of the visit. Ambassador Yao commended KMU for its long-standing contributions to healthcare services, talent cultivation, and international research collaboration, and expressed his hope that KMU would continue expanding substantive Taiwan–UK cooperation in related fields.

KMU noted that the visit to Oxford represented not merely an international exchange, but a significant step forward in advancing meaningful global partnerships. Through extensive dialogue with Oxford in areas including medical education, student exchange, AI-driven precision medicine, federated learning, biomedical engineering, and translational research, KMU will continue to leverage its integrated university-hospital strengths by combining clinical resources, research capacity, and international partnerships. The University remains committed to promoting Taiwan’s medical education and smart healthcare innovations on the global stage while further expanding the influence of Taiwan–UK academic and medical collaboration and strengthening Taiwan’s healthcare diplomacy.

  ▲The KMU delegation visits Professor Dan Woodcock (third from left), Head of a research group within Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division, and Dr. Frank Hwang (far right), Director of the Oxford Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies (OXCEP) Program at St Edmund Hall.

▲KMU Chairman Eric K. Chen and President Ming-Lung Yu meet with The Rt Hon Lord Hague of Richmond, William Hague (center), Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

▲KMU President Ming-Lung Yu delivers a keynote lecture at the University of Oxford entitled “Patient-oriented Translational Research: A Journey toward HCV Elimination.”
▲Professor Heidi Johansen-Berg, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives at the University of Oxford, exchanges views with President Ming-Lung Yu following the lecture.

▲The KMU delegation visits Oxford’s Acute Multidisciplinary Imaging and Interventional Centre, where Director Professor Charalambos Antoniades (far left) introduces the facility.
▲The KMU delegation meets with Ambassador Jin-Shiang Yao (sixth from right) at the Taipei Representative Office in the United Kingdom.