“Run, don’t walk” after your dreams, Nvidia cofounder and chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) told National Taiwan University (NTU) graduates yesterday, as several major universities held in-person graduation ceremonies for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“What will you create? Whatever it is, run after it. Run, don’t walk. Remember, either you’re running for food, or you are running from becoming food. Oftentimes, you can’t tell which. Either way, run,” he said.
Huang was one of several tech executives addressing graduating students at Taiwanese universities.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
National Chengchi University held two ceremonies, with alumnus Patrick Pan (潘先國), who is head of Taiwan and Hong Kong operations at Facebook owner Meta, speaking at the morning ceremony, while Pegatron chairman Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) addressed the afternoon session.
TUL Corp CEO Ted Chen (陳劍威) gave the commencement speech at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST).
Chen, who is an alumnus of NTUST, encouraged the graduating students to be optimistic, calling it a way to process challenges while remaining calm.
Photo courtesy of National Chengchi University via CNA
While many universities invited members of the tech industry to speak, National Taiwan Normal University asked Academia Sinica’s Lee Fong-mao (李豐楙), a Taoist, to give its commencement speech.
Lee encouraged the institute’s 4,469 graduating students not to be afraid to pursue uncommon or unpopular subjects and themes if pursuing a career in academics.
A devoted person can make their life unique, he said.
Photo courtesy of graduates from National Taiwan University’s Department of Sociology
At National Chi Nan University, student Dredrese Povili, who is of Rukai descent, quoted Rukai writer Avuinni Kadreseng in her graduation speech.
“Values that are deemed worthy often exist amid discomfort. Thus, when we go against the flow and reach the top of the mountain, no matter how difficult the process, nature becomes entwined with our lives,” she said.
Hopefully, the message encourages graduating students to live by doing, trust in traditional wisdom and utilize modern technology to strengthen and reinforce connections with the land, Hsieh said.
At NTU, department of sociology students protested to express their dissatisfaction with university president Chen Wen-chang (陳文章) for not receiving students in person on Friday to hear complaints related to incidents involving discriminatory remarks made by some students.
The protesters refused to attend the graduation ceremony and instead stood outside holding signs reading: “This is not the graduation ceremony I want.”
After the commencement, Chen told reporters that he supported the demands of the students, adding that he would bring up the issue at the university affairs committee on Saturday.
Respect for multiethnic groups and upholding a multiethnic society are part of being a democratic society, and people should not make comments, even in jest, if it means that others would be feel discriminated against, he said.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
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