On the morning of July 30, 2025, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) held an unveiling and donation acceptance ceremony for its new Advanced Phenotyping Agriculture Lab (APAL). The ceremony, which took place in the College of Agriculture, marked a significant step in the university’s efforts to enhance its smart agriculture research capabilities. The establishment of the lab was made possible by a donation from Taiwan Hipoint Co., Ltd., which provided phenotypic sensing instruments and other smart agricultural equipment. This generous contribution will help promote agricultural technology research at NPUST and serves as a new model for successful collaboration between industry and academia. NPUST’s president, Chin-Lung Chang, presented a certificate of appreciation and a plaque to Taiwan Hipoint Chairman Chin-Pin Chang Chien in recognition of his outstanding contributions they have made to agricultural education and innovative research. Both parties are working together to promote the vigorous development of smart agriculture in Taiwan.
A number of researchers and faculty members attended the ceremony, including Da-Gin Lin and Yuan-Kai Tu two associate researchers at the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), Ministry of Agriculture; Jue-Liang Hsu: Dean, NPUST College of Agriculture; Director Yi-Hsien Lin of the Department of Plant Medicine; Director Ke-Chung Peng of the Bachelor’s Program in Agricultural Technology; Director Yu-Shen Liang of the Department of Plant Industry; and Assistant Professor Hsing-Ying Chung and Assistant Professor Chia-Ying Chang of the same department.
NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang expressed his gratitude to Chin-Pin Chang Chien, Chairman of Taiwan Hipoint Co., Ltd., for his generous support. The donation of the advanced phenotyping sensing instruments and smart agricultural equipment will greatly benefit the university’s College of Agriculture. President Chang emphasized that the development of smart agriculture requires moving beyond traditional thinking. He highlighted that using high-level equipment to precisely control crop physiology and environmental conditions will drive agricultural digitization and automation. He also expressed his hope that the new lab will become a core hub for smart agriculture and gradually transform NPUST into an internationally competitive research center.
Chairman Chin-Pin Chang Chien noted that this collaboration is more than just a donation; it symbolizes a deeper, long-term partnership between the two parties. He pointed out that the new Advanced Phenotyping Agriculture Lab (APAL) is one of the few high-level agricultural research platforms in Taiwan to be proactively supported by a private company. This collaboration, he said, demonstrates the university’s forward-looking global vision, and he hopes the lab will become a key base for promoting smart agricultural research and international talent exchange.
