Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung Visits University of Bern, Donates to Formosa Scholarship

(CNA, Taipei, May 19, by reporter Yang Yao-ju) Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lin Chia-lung, visited Switzerland during the World Health Assembly (WHA) and today visited the University of Bern, where he donated 80,000 Swiss francs to the "Formosa Scholarship" on behalf of the government. In his address, he stressed Taiwan's crucial role in the global supply chain and expressed his hope to develop cooperation in fields such as emerging technologies, semiconductors, and AI. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release in the evening stating that Lin was invited to visit the World Trade Institute (WTI) at the University of Bern on the 19th, where he represented the government in donating 80,000 Swiss francs to the "Formosa Scholarship." University of Bern Vice-Rector Andrew Chan welcomed Minister Lin in his speech, shared details of academic exchanges with National Taiwan University and others, and expressed his hope to continue deepening international academic partnerships with Taiwan. Professor Manfred Elsig, Director of the World Trade Institute, thanked Taiwan for its many years of donations to the "Formosa Scholarship" and praised Taiwan's contribution to cultivating international trade and economic talent. In his address, Minister Lin pointed out that Taiwan plays a key role in the global supply chain and looks forward to future cooperation in emerging technologies, semiconductors, and AI. Lin cited Einstein's famous mass-energy equivalence formula, E=mc², which was published during his time teaching at the University of Bern, reinterpreting it with an educational meaning as "Education = Mentorship × Creative and Critical Thinking" to emphasize the importance of cultivating students' independent thinking and innovative abilities. He stated that Taiwan will continue to support the empowerment of international economic and trade talent. Lin also expressed special thanks to the University of Bern and WTI for their warm reception, looking ahead and hoping that WTI will continue to serve as a bridge between Taiwan and Switzerland, and even Taiwan and Europe, for mutual prosperity and benefit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that to enhance the ability of outstanding youth from Taiwan and developing/least-developed countries to participate in the global trading system, Taiwan collaborated with WTI in 2020 to establish the "Formosa Scholarship." Each year, it sponsors one student from Taiwan and one from a developing or least-developed member country to pursue a one-year Master of International Law and Economics program at WTI. To date, six young people from Taiwan and students from countries such as Ethiopia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Lesotho, and Vietnam have received the award and have contributed their skills to related fields after graduation.