NCCU, Binance ink Web3 cooperation MOU

• By Yang Mien-chieh
  and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer

National Chengchi University (NCCU) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on “Web3” talent development with cryptocurrency exchange Binance.

The MOU symbolizes the official start of cooperation between the two sides on blockchain education and research, they said.

“Web3” is viewed as one possible new iteration of the Internet to replace the current “Web 2.0” dominated by large tech companies.

Photo courtesy of National Chengchi University

People building Web3 envision a decentralized Internet with greater personal ownership over content through blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies.

NCCU president Li Tsai-yen (李蔡彥) and Damien Ho, a representative from Binance’s global partnerships division, presided over the signing ceremony at the university in Taipei.

According to the MOU, NCCU and Binance hope to prepare students for future careers in Web3 through online learning resources, internships, curriculum design, workshops and joint research.

The two sides discussed cooperation in fields including blockchain, Web3, non-fungible tokens and financial technology, they said.

As blockchain technology becomes more developed, demand for Web3 specialists will grow, Li said.

NCCU has developed considerable experience in information technology fields, he said, adding that he hoped this collaboration between industry and academia would provide students the highest-quality classes to develop cross-disciplinary skills.

Chen Kung (陳恭), deputy director of the Fintech Research Center at NCCU, said blockchain applications are an integral part of the digitization trend.

By combining NCCU’s unique areas of expertise with Binance’s experience, this new partnership would bring untold benefits to Taiwan’s fintech industry, he added.

The crypto and blockchain industries are facing a talent shortage and lack of general understanding, Ho said.

Binance can provide practical applications for NCCU’s diverse pool of talent to enhance their understanding of cryptocurrencies, he said.

The company is working with universities to cultivate talent in the field, including in compliance and regulatory mechanisms, to propel the industry into the next phase and develop a sound financial ecosystem, he said.

The Binance University Outreach Program through the Binance Academy has more than 100 partners worldwide, including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, NCCU said.

NCCU is the first Taiwanese university to cooperate with the company.