Cooperation between NTNU and PSU Promotes Academic Research Projects
The sister schools program established in 1998 between National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) and Pennsylvania State University (PSU) has brought frequent opportunities for exchange and has succeeded in developing a strong partnership between the institutions. In late November 2018, NTNU President Cheng-Chih Wu led a delegation of professor representatives in a trip to Penn State University, where the representatives gained first-hand knowledge of Penn State University development plan. During the trip, the delegation also met in fruitful discussion with Penn State President Eric Barron.
During the meeting, the parties agreed to launch the 2019 Collaboration Development Fund Request for Proposals to strengthen strategic partnership and promote further cooperation in research and teaching: Five research projects will be selected from those jointly submitted by professors and reviewed by the selection committee of the universities. Selected projects will be allocated subsidies, including travel expenses and consumables, as a way to broaden bilateral academic research channels.
Penn State University and NTNU are home to renowned academic researchers in the field of education. Back in 2011, David H. Monk, Dean of Penn State’s College of Education, discussed the exchange experiences of the staff and students. Monk noted that in 2013, along with NTNU, the Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences was established and that cooperative bonds between the institutions have further developed since. Furthermore, in 2016 the institutions jointly launched the One Department, One Standard program in order to increase academic research and teaching exchange opportunities.
Through the jointly promoted Collaboration Development Fund, professors and students from both universities will be able to mutually benefit from learning and growth experiences. The initiative also shows potential to increase exchange opportunities. It is expected that the strategic partnership will achieve even more fruitful results.