In an effort to promote collaboration in technology between Taiwan and Poland, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Poland’s National Center for Research and Development (NCBR) have put pen to paper on a cooperative agreement for supporting joint research programs and bilateral conferences. Since 2012, MOST and NCBR have been holding annual bilateral conferences, the venue of which alternates between Taiwan and Poland each year. 2019 was the first year that NARLabs was commissioned by MOST to organize this eighth annual event, which saw leading Taiwanese autonomous driving technology experts travel to Warsaw finding collaboration opportunities. The theme of the ninth instalment is space technology and will be organized by NARLabs’ National Space Organization (NSPO).

An online multi-lateral meeting was held on June 30, 2020 at which emphasis on this year’s conference theme and future collaboration with Poland’s space research institutions. Polish participants included Deputy Director, Dr. Cezary Błaszczyk and Mr. Konrad Kosecki from NCBR, conference organizer Dr. Marta Wachowicz, as well as Space Research Centre director Prof. Iwona Stanilsawska and deputy directors Prof. Jolanta Nastula and Prof. Anna Dlugosz; while Taiwan was represented by Ms. Jennifer Hu from MOST’s Department of International Cooperation and Science Education, Dr. Hong-Wei Yen from the Science and Technology Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague, Director general of NARLabs’ International Affairs Office, Dr. Franz Ming-Chih Cheng, and Director General Chun-Liang Lin and Chen Bo-Chuan from NSPO. It was decided that the theme for this year’s conference, to be held during the third week of November, will encompass satellite payload technology, lunar exploration technology and CubeSat development. In addition, another online meeting will be arranged in the forthcoming weeks to further discuss technical collaboration between NSPO and Poland’s Space Research Centre.