Hubble Project Launches the Next Generation of Global Managers
In response to the post-pandemic labor shortage, NTNU has partnered with Lion Travel, a leader in Taiwan’s tourism sector, to launch the Hubble Project for Global Talents. This academia-industry collaboration aims to nurture and train students in global management capabilities. Each year, the project will identify 8 to 12 standout students for opportunities in corporate roles and international internships, with the inaugural group to begin as early as August of this year.
The Hubble Project for Global Talents, anchored at NTNU, has met with enthusiastic interest from the student body. Currently, the project boasts participation from over 700 students from 62 distinct academic fields across 35 universities, representing 10 nationalities. An information session held on April 12 attracted students from top tier universities including NTNU, National Taiwan University, National Futuristic University, and the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.
NTNU President Cheng-Chih Wu emphasized NTNU’s dedication to cultivating international expertise, and compared this initiative to the 1990 launch of the Hubble Space Telescope that expanded our vision. 'The Hubble Project represents our effort to scout for future leaders through our corporate-academic collaboration, with a particular emphasis on securing international internship opportunities for our participants,” he said. “This endeavor aligns with NTNU's mission to enhance 'International Mobility' among our students. We appreciate Lion Travel's role in offering these opportunities, and for creating a collaborative platform for students of diverse fields to come together and evolve into global management experts.'
Wen-Jie Wang, Chairman of Lion Travel, reflected on the post-pandemic resurgence of the tourism industry and the company's strategic involvement in academic partnerships to further its international expansion. The company will commence its talent recruitment drive immediately, introducing an eight-week training camp at its headquarters to identify and cultivate potential leaders for overseas internships and managerial positions. He expressed his gratitude to Professor Gordon Wang of NTNU's Graduate Institute of Sport, Leisure, and Hospitality Management for his visionary role in bringing this project to fruition and hoped that it would inspire similar initiatives throughout Taiwan, enhancing the talent pool in the tourism industry.
Professor Wang, who oversees the project, assembled this initiative in collaboration with academics and industry experts. Planned over three years, the program intends to conduct six training sessions, during which 25-30 candidates will be chosen for an intensive eight-day curriculum at the corporate headquarters in each phase. From each cohort, 8-12 participants will be selected for internships at the company's domestic headquarters, with successful interns potentially receiving a 2- to 3-year contract with Lion Travel, with opportunities for international assignments. The initiative aims to select between 48 and 72 exceptional individuals over its course.