Program History

In response to the growing needs associated with an aging population and personalized medicine, the government has been actively encouraging the development of innovative smart medical devices (hereinafter referred to as "medical devices") and the integration of healthcare services. The medical device industry is inherently interdisciplinary, encompassing fields such as biomedical science, computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, optics, chemical engineering, and materials science. Due to the diverse technologies involved and the specificity of demand, the industry is characterized by small-volume, high-variety production. Currently, most biomedical and medical device-related departments in domestic universities focus primarily on theoretical knowledge and basic sciences. There remains a significant gap in the cultivation of talent for industry applications or translational medical research across disciplines. As a result, although these institutions produce highly trained researchers with strong foundational research capabilities, their training often falls short in aligning with industry needs and contributing to the advancement and transformation of the medical device industry.

The College of Biomedical Science and Engineering at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (hereinafter referred to as "the College") has established the Elite Ph.D. Program in Medical Device Technology and Biomedical Imaging Industry (hereinafter referred to as "the Program") in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s “Guidelines for Subsidizing Universities in Industry-Academia Cooperation for the Cultivation of R&D Talent.” Through an industry-academia collaborative training model, the Program aims to cultivate elite Ph.D.-level professionals specializing in advanced medical device product design, with a focus on practical applications, market demand, technological innovation, and entrepreneurship. This initiative seeks to create new opportunities for Taiwan’s development in the high-end biomedical and medical device industries.

The biotechnology and medical industry (hereinafter referred to as the "biomedical industry") is closely tied to public health and is considered an essential livelihood industry that supports the prevention, diagnosis, alleviation, and treatment of human diseases. The medical device industry (hereinafter referred to as the "medical device industry") is an interdisciplinary sector that integrates biomedical science, computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, optics, chemical engineering, and materials science. Due to the wide range of technologies and applications involved, the medical device industry is characterized by a unique "small-volume, high-variety" production model. In addition, the Taiwan Biotech Takeoff Action Plan launched in 2013 by the Executive Yuan’s Biotech Industry Advisory Committee (BTC) emphasized responding to the demands of an aging population and personalized medicine. The plan aimed to promote research and development in Taiwan’s healthcare and medical service sectors, with a particular focus on encouraging the development of innovative smart medical devices. As a result, the medical device industry has been designated as a key sector for government support and promotion.

The industry places the highest priority on research and development (R&D), and R&D, in turn, depends critically on talent cultivation. In domestic universities, most biotechnology and medical device-related programs focus primarily on theoretical knowledge and basic sciences. Research in biomedical and medical device laboratories often emphasizes detailed molecular mechanisms or relevant engineering scientific theories, while less attention is given to industrial applications or translational medical research. Consequently, although the graduates trained under this model possess strong foundational research capabilities, they often face challenges in applying their knowledge practically, resulting in a relatively limited contribution to the development of the biotechnology and medical device industry. This Ph.D. program adopts an industry-academia collaborative training model to cultivate elite doctoral talents specializing in advanced medical device product design. The program centers on practical applications, market demands, technological innovation, and entrepreneurship, aiming to create new opportunities for Taiwan to advance its high-end biomedical and medical device industries.

The industry doctoral program was originally planned under the name “Elite Master’s and Ph.D. Program in Medical Device Technology and Biomedical Imaging Industry.” However, since the program includes industry internships to reduce the gap between academic training and practical application, many faculty members in the College recognized its good intentions and recommended expanding the program to include industry partners from various departments within the College. Therefore, the program was renamed the “Ph.D. Program in Biomedical and Engineering Technology Industries” to broaden the scope of talent cultivation. The Ph.D. Program in Biomedical and Engineering Technology Industries has been approved by the Ministry of Education. The establishment of the program’s academic regulations was expected to be completed in the 2016 academic year (105th academic year in the Taiwanese calendar), with the official launch and external recruitment planned for the 2017 academic year (106th academic year).