Distinguished Professor Shu-Lung Yang of the Department of Criminology at National Chung Cheng University (CCU) was elected fourth-term President of the Asian Association for Substance Abuse Research & Addictive Behavior Prevention and Treatment (AASAR) on October 5, 2026, following a vote by the association's members.

AASAR is a nonprofit academic organization comprising researchers, professionals, and institutions dedicated to substance abuse research, prevention, and treatment across Asia. The association aims to advance academic research, facilitate professional exchanges, and promote international collaboration in substance abuse prevention and addiction treatment. Its major activities include providing policy recommendations and professional consultation to government agencies, conducting commissioned research projects, developing prevention and treatment strategies tailored to Asian contexts, organizing professional training programs, and strengthening partnerships with international academic and professional organizations.

In addition to Professor Yang's election as President, two Vice Presidents were elected: Professor Leonardo R. Estacio Jr. of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Philippines Manila, and Professor Jie Shi, Deputy Director of the National Institute on Drug Dependence at Peking University, China. Professor Rasmon Kalayasiri, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, was elected Chairperson of the Board of Directors, while Associate Professor Sara Hua Zhong of The Chinese University of Hong Kong was elected Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors.

Several faculty members from the Department of Criminology at CCU were also elected to key positions within the association. Professors Yung-Lien Lai and Hua-Fu Hsu were elected to the Board of Directors, while Professors Chiao-Yun Chen and Shu-Ping Tzeng were elected to the Board of Supervisors. Under Professor Yang's leadership, these faculty members will contribute their academic expertise and research experience to the association, further strengthening international academic cooperation and enhancing CCU's visibility and influence in substance abuse prevention and addiction research.

Over the past two decades, Professor Yang has played a significant role in shaping and advancing Taiwan's drug prevention and control policies. In 2006, he recommended that the government establish Drug Abuse Prevention Centers in cities and counties across Taiwan to coordinate interagency efforts and strengthen local drug prevention initiatives. In 2012, he founded the Education Center for Prevention of Drug Abuse at CCU, where he promoted innovative anti-drug educational programs, including the development of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) learning tools and interactive educational games. These initiatives have been widely applied in drug prevention education for elementary and junior high school students throughout Taiwan.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Professor Yang received the Anti-Drug Contribution Award from Taiwan's Executive Yuan in 2013. In 2016, he proposed the establishment of a dedicated Drug Prevention Fund to provide sustainable financial support for anti-drug initiatives. In 2018, he assisted the Agency of Corrections under the Ministry of Justice in developing and promoting the Evidence-Based Treatment Program for Drug Offenders. Officially implemented nationwide in 2019, the program aims to reduce drug-related recidivism and facilitate the successful rehabilitation and social reintegration of incarcerated individuals with drug-related offenses.

In recent years, Professor Yang has also been actively engaged in international academic exchanges and professional activities related to substance abuse and addiction prevention. In January 2024, the Crime Research Center at CCU, under Professor Yang's leadership, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Center for Addiction Studies at Chulalongkorn University, one of Thailand's leading universities, to promote academic exchanges, collaborative research, and international cooperation in addiction studies and drug prevention. Later in 2024, he was invited by the Indonesian Psychiatric Association to participate in the 10th World Congress of Asian Psychiatry (WCAP), where he delivered a presentation on substance abuse and related prevention issues.

Professor Yang's election as President of AASAR reflects his longstanding dedication to substance abuse prevention, addiction research, and academic collaboration across Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region. Under his leadership, the association is expected to further integrate innovative drug prevention strategies with academic research and evidence-based practices. By drawing on CCU's research strengths and fostering stronger international partnerships, Professor Yang aims to advance professional expertise in substance abuse prevention and addiction treatment while enhancing the international academic standing and influence of both the association and the university.