International Graduate Research Exchange Program on Multi-Plant Heat Integration and Energy Hub Design

This TEEP project aims to strengthen research collaboration and graduate student exchange between National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan, and leading ASEAN partner universities in the fields of sustainable energy and process systems engineering. The host unit is the Department of Chemical Engineering, NCKU.

The program includes two research themes:

Heat Integration Strategies for CO2 Capture and Utilization within Multi-Plant Resource Networks, focusing on cross-plant waste heat recovery and energy redistribution for improving the energy efficiency of CO2 capture and utilization systems.

Strategic Design Integration of Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Storage Systems in an Energy Hub, focusing on the optimal integration of renewable energy technologies, hydrogen systems, and battery storage.

The main recruitment countries are Thailand and the Philippines. Partner institutions include the Department of Chemical Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and the Chemical Engineering Department, De La Salle University, the Philippines. Selected graduate students will visit NCKU for a short-term research exchange of 2 to 6 months.

Before arrival, the research topic and work plan will be jointly confirmed by the home and host supervisors. During the stay, students will conduct energy and process systems modeling, simulation, and optimization using tools such as GAMS, Aspen Plus, and Python. Regular progress meetings will be held, with participation from both NCKU and home-institution supervisors.

Selected students will receive a TEEP scholarship of NTD 15,000 per month to partially support accommodation and living expenses in Taiwan. Applicants should have a background in chemical engineering, energy systems, process systems engineering, or related fields. Experience in process simulation, optimization, or programming is preferred.

The program is expected to promote joint research outputs, potential co-authored publications, and long-term Taiwan–ASEAN collaboration toward net-zero emissions and sustainable energy transitions.