Chen Wei-jao

Chen was born in Taichū Prefecture on 15 November 1939. He studied medicine at National Taiwan University (NTU) and completed his residency at National Taiwan University Hospital. He became a lecturer at NTU and continued postgraduate study. Chen earned a DMS in 1973 at Tohoku University in Japan before completing a master's in public health at Johns Hopkins University in 1989.[1][2] Chen was the lead surgeon in a groundbreaking September 1979 operation to separate conjoined twins. The twins were born with three legs between them and joined at the hip. The surgery was broadcast live on television.[3] It was also the fourth successful separation of conjoined twins ever performed.[4][5] Chen was named deputy director of the NTU Hospital in 1987 and became dean of the NTU college of medicine in 1991.[1]

Chen was the first elected president of National Taiwan University,[2][6] and took office on 22 June 1993.[7] As university president, Chen issued formal apologies for NTU's role in White Terror political persecution, namely the 6 April incident of 1949 that led to the arrests of several student dissidents (in 2001),[8] and the 1974 National Taiwan University Philosophy Department incident, which resulted in the dismissal of several faculty members accused of communist leanings (in 2003).[9] Due to the 2003 SARS outbreak, Chen presided over NTU's first online commencement ceremony that year.[10] In May 2004, Chen announced that the Gallery of University History was to be established in the old university library.[11] He attended its dedication in June 2005 before stepping down as president.[12] The Ministry of Education named Lee Si-chen Chen's successor as university president in June 2005.[13] Chen was considered a candidate for vice president of the Republic of China in Ma Ying-jeou's 2008 presidential campaign.[14] The Kuomintang confirmed Ma and Vincent Siew as its ticket. Chen later led the Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry.[15] Chen was convener of the presidential selection committee that named Kuan Chung-ming as NTU president in January 2018.[16] Despite alleged conflicts of interest between committee members and Kuan,[17] Chen supported Kuan selection on grounds of university autonomy,[18] and the Ministry of Education confirmed Kaun's appointment in December 2018.